Growing Smalls

Thursday

Global Goddess Giveaway

It's been a long time since we've done a giveaway so I figured why not start off with an awesome Global Goddess Giveaway!

We have an awesome set of eye products to give to one lucky reader! What's in the set?
           1 Exotic Eyes Blackest Black Nourishing Mascara
            1 Coconut Amla Lash & Brow Conditioning Serum
            1 Sizzling Seregeti Tribal Eyeshadow Quad in Eldoret
Total value is $47!!

First I would like to tell you about the Exotic Eyes Blackest Black Nourishing Mascara. This mascara is one of my favorites, simply because of how strong it is against my busy day! I am constantly running in a thousand different directions and one thing I noticed is this mascara holds up past my expectations. It's smudge proof, tear proof, sweat proof and run proof says the packaging and I proved it true!.

When I put it on, I instantly like how it feels. It doesn't clump or even pull your eyelashes together for that "thicker" look. It defines them and feels great!

Besides for the great durability, what makes it so different than the rest? The ingredients! Containing Japanese Camellia Seed oil, it nourishes, moisturizes and strengthens lashes. Then it also contains Aloe Vera which also strengthens, conditions, moisturizes, and promotes healthy lash growth. And of course, the Exotic Eyes Blackest Black Nourishing Mascara is paraben, sulfate, and fragrance free!

Now the Coconut Amla Lash & Brow Conditioning Serum was something I was a little iffy about. This is a great product to add to your nighttime personal care routine.
Simply apply a coat onto your clean lashes or eye brows. The abundance of natural ingredients provides treatment and prevention to your lashes and eye brows. Check out this massive list of natural ingredients.

Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract and Laminaria Digitata Extract - obtained from brown algae or seaweed found only along the shores of Europe, these extracts are filled with amino acids that fuel lash growth, prevent and treat damage, and give lashes and brows a natural shine and luster.

Cocos Nucifera Coconut Extract - found mostly in the tropics, coconut extract is rich in antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties. This extract is also an excellent humectant that hydrates, conditions and moisturizes.

Grape Seed Extract - Grape seeds’ oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes, flavonoids, Vitamin E and linoleic acid content helps prevent free radical damage. This extract has been found to be effective in preventing and treating hair loss or for promoting lash and brow growth.

Urtica Dioica Nettle Extract - an herb used for centuries to treat multiple ailments because of its natural anti inflammatory effects, stinging nettle has been gaining popularity in treating hair loss.

Horse Chestnut Seed Extract - another herb high in active components escin and sterols with anti inflammatory benefits and antioxidant flavonoids with anti inflammatory and antibacterial activities.

Apple Fruit Extract - one of nature’s best gifts, apple’s vitamin and nutrient content helps rejuvenate and promote growth of dull, thin lashes and brows.

Witch Hazel Extract - has rejuvenating, medicinal and healing benefits. It adds volume, shine and luster, and prevents and reduces lash fallout.

Amla Fruit Extract - used in traditional medicine for thousands of years, this Indian Gooseberry extract is high in Vitamin C and polyphenols. It gives lashes and brows natural shine, prevents hair loss, and deeply conditions.

Rosa Damascena Flower Distillate - this expensive Bulgarian Rose extract has excellent emollient properties for moisturizing, conditioning and hydrating brows and lashes. It also offers antiseptic and anti inflammatory properties.

Last but not least; is the Sizzling Serengeti Tribal Eyeshadow Quad. I wasn't able to test out this one so I can only provide you with the companies picture. But I do love those colors!!!

Our giveaway will run September 15th -29th. Giveaway rules are as follows;

1. Visit efficientliving.com and comment on products contestant would like to try on blogger's site.

http://www.efficientliving.com/Global_Goddess

2. Follow efficientliving.com on Facebook - with highest point value

https://www.facebook.com/EfficientLiving

3. Follow marjsnaturals on Twitter
https://twitter.com/MarjsNaturals

4. Follow you on your site(s)

5. Open to US residents 18 years of age or older

6. Giveaway prize worth $47.00 - includes (1) Exotic Eyes Blackest Black Nourishing Mascara, (1) Coconut Amla Lash & Brow Conditioning Serum, (1) Sizzling Serengeti Tribal Eyeshadow Quad in Eldoret

I received one or more of the products mentioned above free for review purposes. Regardless, I will only recommend products that I have personally tested/tried and believe will be a good fit for my readers. AlyGators is not responsible for any Giveaway items. All giveaway items will be shipped directly from the company that sponsors our giveaway.

Monday

OrganicaPure

Cocoa & Honey Body Lotion + Mint Infused

If you have been following us for a while, then you know I am a scent junkie. So when I found OrganicaPure Cocoa & honey body lotion I fell in love! Not only with the minty fresh smell but the refreshing texture.

OrganicaPure uses Mayan’s finest cocoa and high quality honey to nourish your dry skin. The texture of the lotion is also amazing. I especially loved how after rubbing it in there was no oily residue left on my skin. I can’t stand it when lotion feels like an oil glove leaving me afraid to touch anything else.

What makes this lotion not your ordinary lotion? Cocoa is an anti-wrinkle agent. So by nourishing and restoring your skin you are so helping prevent future damage to your skins elasticity and collagen.

OrganicaPure is so much more than just body lotions! On their site, http://www.OrganicaPure.com I have found Organic Shampoo, anti-stretch mark lotion, body wash, and facial cleansers. I can’t wait to try some of their other products. Which one would you be interested in?

Thank you OrganicaPure for the Giveaway. Here are the first two ways you can earn your entries:

“Like” OrganicaPure on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OrganicaPure

“FOLLOW” OrganicaPURE on Twitter https://twitter.com/organicapure

Disclaimer: Some of our post may contain affiliate links which provides us with a small compensation for sharing their programs and companies. By clicking these links you allow us to keep providing you great deals including our giveaways and freebies.

We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Sunday

Juppy Baby Walker

World Famous Juppy Baby Walker

http://www.theJuppy.com

Teaching your baby to walk can be one of the most joyous times and it’s those milestones that make lasting memories for many years to come. But as we all know, our babies are much shorter than we are so holding their hands as they learn to take their first steps can really be back straining.

Juppy Baby Walker has come up with a solution that is unique, adorable, and supportive. The Juppy Baby Walker comes in a strong canvas material and we even had ours embroidered just for Jersey. The sturdy design gives you extra security knowing your little one is safe and snug inside while they learn to take their first steps, and you walk in an upright position. This is a life saver for my back!!

I was really impressed with the double security backings. There are not one but two Velcro straps and then they overlap a zipper. Extra security for sure!

But the one thing that I found extra adorable and convenient is the neat bag it came in will actually fit perfectly in my purse or the diaper bag. Win win!

Check out Juppy on Amazin: CLICK HERE

Juppy on Facebook:

Juppy on Twitter

Juppy on Pinterest:

Tuesday

Premium Chalk Markers

These markers are a lot of fun! I ordered them from Amazon and I wasn't really sure what to expect. My first thought was one; Chalk is washable and two; These are in a marker form so they should be great for the kids room right?

We continue to foster and sometimes, it's kind of hard to personalize a bedroom for each and every child that comes and goes. These markers were the perfect solution! I used an assortment of the markers to color on the bedroom mirror our little girls name and several cute little pictures of her favorite things! These were absolutely perfect for what I wanted to do! My favorite feature though is how brilliantly bright the colors are! They really add that special highlight to the room.

So back to the chalk factor; These are super easy to clean up! Yup! Absolutely perfect for what I wanted to do!

Be sure to check them out on Amazon by CLICKING HERE

Sunday

Stohlquist Infant/ Toddler Life Jacket

When I ordered this I was a little afraid of the past reviews. The price was a little higher than most and some of the reviews were pretty mean. But when I got it, I was so surprised at how well it holds and cradles my baby! I would have paid three times the price had I known how perfect this life jacket was going to be for lil man who is10 week old! Yes 10 weeks old and it fits him like a glove! He is just a little over 9 pounds and it holds him perfectly and there is no chance of him slipping out of it. I could also tell he was comfortable in it because I sat down for a while and played with him while allowing him to wear it. He didn't fuss or whine until I took it off. I think that means he liked it right? This is a perfect life jacket for little man and there is plenty of room for him to grow in it as well!

Be sure to check it out on Amazon by CLICKING HERE

Product Description

Unique wrap-around flotation turns a child face up. Dual support collars cradle the head. Front zipper entry and adjustable crotch strap secures the jacket in place. Convenient grab loop stays open in water for quick location with Stohlquist's addition of floating beads around neck collar grab loop.

nylon
2" high
16" wide
200 Denier oxford shell and liner.
Quick release buckle over entry zipper for added security. Adjustable crotch strap.
Infant PFD is type II PFD.
Hand Wash Soap and Water

Tuesday

Del Sol Color Changing Action

Del Sol is one of my favorite stores to shop off so I am so excited to tell you about a few of my favorite products! I mentioned the Peek-A-boo Nail polish in an April Fools post. Did any of you get to try it? Read that review here: Click here

But more than just the Peek-A-Boo I got to try a few other new colors lately. “After Party” and “VIP” are my two favorite colors and my absolute favorite combination. Check out these before and after photos!

Even Miss Aly and all of our girls love getting their nails done and then running outside to watch them change colors. The color changing nail polish is a must for every little girl ya know ages 1-99! It’s a lot of fun and the colors are even professional enough to wear to work.

The boys love getting new shirts from Del Sol. We try as often as we can to pick them up a new one every time we run into one of the shops. They are also always big hit for them at school.

The day I took these pictures it was pretty cloudy out, so even without bright glaring sun, the colors are brilliant!

Recently I caught an awesome sale and did some splurging. I mean like a whopping $25 and I was able to order several earrings, a few headbands, and a couple of extra nail polishes and get free shipping! (You have to sign up for their mailing list! The sales are incredible!!!)

If you want in on another great offer check this out. Anytime you travel to an area that one of these stores are in (hotel or cruise) check with your local sales desk for a free coupon for this shopping bag! Sometimes they will have coupons to get a certain amount of money off of sunglasses and sometimes they will have coupons for this totally awesome free bag!!! It doesn’t hurt to ask at least!

Awwww and my second to most favorite item? This sweatshirt! I love the white because it’s just clean looking enough to take on vacation and still look presentable even though I’m wearing a sweatshirt! We are leaving soon to go on another cruise and I know I can take this along and it will be perfect for every evening. But it’s also very comfy! The fabric is super soft and stretchy which is why it’s my favorite. I guess the pretty cool design doesn’t hurt either but over all this is one of my favorite sweatshirts! In the evening the color is gone because there is no sun so therefor I can wear it to dinner and it still match anything I have on underneath. But during the day… Watch out because the sun will be bright and so will the cool design on the sleeve! Check it out!

Ok, so my absolute favorite item…. The one I get to give away…. Here it is and it’s going to be winners choice! The Del Sol Color changing sun glasses of course!!! How stinkin neat are these? They have so many different designs and they ALL change colors! Some more than others, like my favorite which turn from white to bright pink. But hubbys turn from charcoal grey to purple! I was kind of skeptical on the purple for mens sunglasses, but they totally rock to! Ok, so besides for the color changing aspect… Hubby and I got our first pair of Del Sol Sunglasses in Cozumel Mexico. He had lost his sunglasses so we figured let’s check them out and boy what do ya know, we both walked out with a pair! It was actually a hard decision for me because most pairs are over $40 and I don’t really spend that much money on myself. But after trying them on I couldn’t resist. Everything was so clear! Natural outside colors were not distorted by a cheap pair of glasses! Even down in Mexico I was able to spend more time outside without my eyes hurting because I had these glasses. But now back on cost. If your like me, it really was hard to spend $40 on something I know I’m going to lose or break. I go through sunglasses like candy! Sure enough, I was home just about 2 months before I was playing with one of the kids and broke them. Normally, I would have been pretty upset, but Del Sol has a replacement program where I just pay the shipping and they send me a brand new pair! EVERYTIME! Yup that’s what makes it totally worth the initial $40! In about a 18 months, I am on my third pair! But that’s ok, because if I break them they replace them!

Check out all of the Del Sol Color changing products at the following links and let me know what your favorites are!

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Thursday

Dr. Doormat

So while I’m working on the outside of our house for our “curb appeal” post that’s coming later this month I started noticing that the inside foyer is really starting to look like a catch all. Then I realized, I hadn’t shampooed the doormat in forever and it was really dingy looking. So outside it went. Well while it was outside drying in the sun I decided to look and see if I could find a new one. That’s when I came across Dr.

Doormat and wow they must have been calling my name because it’s perfect for my little zoo!
I was surfing around their website when I read “Antimicrobial treated doormats help prevent microbes and dirt from entering your home!” Say what? I guess I never really thought about all the germs we carry in our homes on our feet.

How’s it work? Dr. Doormat’s are infused with an anitimicrobial treatment during the manufacturing process. This treatment bonds to the fibers of the doormat and cannot be tracked through your home but at the same time when your shoe makes contact, the mat kills the cell membrane of the invading microbes preventing you from carrying them into your home. You have got to read more about the process by clicking here. It’s a really unique and interesting concept. Another one of those “ah-ha” moments if you will.

None the less, the mat is comfy under my feet, and the perfect size for right inside the door. There are several colors to choose from but we choose the chocolate brown because it matches our wooden doors. There are several different sizes available on the website plus Dr. Doormat is so reasonably priced the true question is why not? Why not protect your family from the germs that secretly invade our homes every-time we walk through the front door. In my eyes, this is a must for every home!

Mat Specifications

· Made in the USA
· Eco-Friendly, Sustainable, Reusable
· Allergy Friendly
· Washable (see care instructions)
· Two-year Manufacturer’s Warranty
· Surface area is made of the highest quality stain resistant (25%) recycled and virgin polypropylene fiber.
· Durable, flexible, industrial strength, rubber backing with molded rubber nibs reduces mat movement.
· Elegant bubble pattern acts like scrubbing brushes, scraping dirt and grit off shoes while removing moisture at the same time.
· Doormat is framed with a raised, inch wide border that forms a tray trapping water and dirt.
· Mats are partially hand cut.
· Mats available in two sizes: House size: 36”x24”x3/8”, 4 lbs. Apartment size: 24”x18”x3/8”, 2 lbs.
· Specially formulated antimicrobial treatment controls and starts to disable odor causing microorganisms on the mat on contact, prevents deterioration and odors and extends the life of the mat. The antimicrobial formula is biodegradable, non-toxic and permanently bonded to the fibers of the yarn.

Be sure to check them out at the following links;

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Tuesday

Always #Like a Girl

What a great commercial!

Thank you Always for the great commercial!

Sunday

Cariloha

Hubby and I travel a lot! We love going to new places and of course seeing things we have never seen before. But one of my favorite things to do on vacation is go shopping, (of course). One store I go into every time we are in the Caribbean is Cariloha. Everything in the store is made out of bamboo and even if I don't buy a single thing, it's worth the walk through just enjoy the atmosphere.

Cariloha is so unique because like I said, all of their products are made out of bamboo. At the last one we were in, (I can't remember if it was in Key West or Nassau Bahamas) they had a display set up that showed you just how fast Bamboo grows. It was really a neat agriculture lesson for the boys. According to Cariloha, bamboo can grow up to 4 feet a day!!!

I have purchased a few things from them here and there like socks and shirts but for years I have had my eyes on the bed sheets. Well guess what, I finally got them! They are even more amazing then I could have ever imagined!

I have had them on the bed now for about a week and it seems like almost instantly every night I have fallen right to sleep! They are so comfortable and soft. My favorite thing about the sheets is they really seem to fall around your body just right. They are a cooler material than cotton but they also seem a little heavier in weight to where they just fall right into place. Cariloha focuses on the natural antibacterial and hypoallergenic features bamboo possesses which is great but I really am hooked on the touch and feel aspect!

I can't believe I waited so long to get my hands on these sheets! This time I ordered the blue bed sheet set. But I was really worried the blue would be too bright and distracting. I was wrong, the online pictures really don't do this color justice! The cool relaxing blue was perfect to match my new quilt my grandmother made me.

But I couldn't stop with just the sheets! I also ordered a set of the Bath Towels, and yup, I stepped outside of the box again and went with the Blue Lagoon. This darker blue is actually beautiful and I can't wait to finish our bathroom remodel so I can find other great products to match.

We know I love Cariloha products but how much? I have to admit, I will be picking up another set of these towels first chance I get. The Cariloha Bath towels are so soft they actually make perfect baby blankets. But don't let that confuse you for absorbency! They work great and at 30 x 56 inches they are wonderful to wrap up in when stepping out of a hot shower.

The Cariloha store itself is an pretty cool experience, but if you have the opportunity to take home some of their products, I highly recommend it! If nothing else, go in, walk around and touch everything! Just don't wait as long as I did to buy the sheets!

Check out Cariloha at the following links;

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above free for review purposes. Regardless, I will only recommend products that I have personally tested/tried and believe will be a good fit for my readers.

Tuesday

Misto Box

Everyone deserves something for the holidays, but what says your special more than a gift that just keeps on giving all year long. That's why I am choosing to bring you a selection of subscription boxes for our gift guide. The first one I would like to tell you about is Misto Box which a monthly subscription box of 4 handpicked bags of incredible coffee!

This months box invluded Panama Elida Esate, Kenya Tegu, Guatemala Codech co-op, and Sulawesi Tana Toraja. All of which came from California except for the Guatemala Codech co-op which is from Milwaukee WI. The box also includes interesting facts about each brand of coffee so while your enjoying your delicious cup you can read about the why's and wheres. For example the Panama Elida Estate is from Portola Coffee Lab and more than half of their farm is actually located in the Violcan Baru National Parck which is a protected ecological reserve for exotic plants and animals.

I love the Misto Box because not only is the coffee amazing, but the company takes the time to help you understand the ways to grind, brew and enjoy the different blends of coffee. Be sure to check them out at the following links and order your favorite couple a subscription box today!

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