Reviewing Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan - The TV Series

My husband and I have been waiting for the television series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan to start ever since we saw the first trailer.  It was released on Aug 31st 2018 here in Australia and as a family we finished watching it on the 2nd September 2018.  This is a big deal as the three of us all have busy lives and it takes quite a bit for us to find the time to watch a whole season together and this is the fastest we've ever managed it.

In case that doesn't convince you, it was great!  Now the great thing about this is that we all have different levels of knowledge about Jack Ryan and yet we all enjoyed this Amazon Prime series.  So who is Jack Ryan?

Jack Ryan is a character who was born in a novel by Tom Clancy, the son of a Baltimore cop and a nurse who serves as a marine before becoming a history teacher and finally joining the CIA.  A few of the books were made into blockbuster movies and now we have a television series.

Who Would Enjoy Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, the Television Series?

Well anyone who likes action packed spy dramas will enjoy this series, you really don't have to know anything about Jack Ryan beforehand.

Let me give you a little background from my family's perspective.  I have read a few of the Jack Ryan novels and enjoyed them before watching the movies.  I must admit when I watched the first movie released The Hunt for Red October with Alec Baldwin playing Jack Ryan I enjoyed it, but wasn't sure which I preferred the book or the movie.

My husband loved the movie - he doesn't really enjoy fiction books so this was always going to be the case.

The next two movies that were released were Patriot Games then Clear & Present Danger with Harrison Ford playing the lead role of Jack Ryan.  Now I preferred these two movies to the books which is a rarity for me, but somehow they just brought the character alive for me.   As you can imagine, my husband loved the movies too!

My daughter hadn't watched any of these movies or read the books, so she was coming to the television series with no expectations.

All three of us thoroughly enjoyed the series and will be waiting with bated breath to see if it gets renewed.

How Does This Jack Ryan Stack Up?

I enjoyed John Krasinski's take on the Jack Ryan character, I haven't really seen him in much up to now.  I think he played the role really well.

Now I could get nitpicky and say that a couple of the scenes could've easily been left out and the continuity of story (from previous movies/books) relating to his relationship to the person who ends up as his wife didn't quite gel, but in reality none of that mattered.

Will We Be Watching Season 2?

The real test of a series is whether or not you'd watch the next season and in case you haven't realized the answer to that is a resounding yes.   I really do hope that they make a second series because otherwise there's going to be three very disgruntled people in this house!

Have You Read Tom Clancy's Books or Seen the Movies?

If you have I'd love to know what you thought of the Jack Ryan character (of course you could have read some of his other books!) and whether you think you'll be watching this series or not.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Top Ten Halloween Costumes for Women in 2022

Halloween Costumes for Women

It's not long until Halloween so I thought it would be a great time to start reviewing what the most popular women's costumes were for 2022.  I checked a number of different costume websites to find out what the trending costumes are for this year.

I was surprised by a few of the costumes that kept popping up on the lists, but after collating numerous sites I believe these ten costumes will be the most popular for women this year, let's take a look at them shall we?

We have the likes of Wonder Woman, Eleven, Rey, Winifred Sanderson, Harley Quinn & Daenerys Targaryen to name just a few, I wonder which one will be your favorite.

Wonder Woman Halloween Costume

Joint Number One Women's Costume for 2019

Wonder Woman Costume

Wonder Woman tied with Eleven as the top rated women's Halloween costume for 2019.

It's not surprising to me as Wonder Woman is an iconic superhero from my childhood and has also become immortalized on the big screen now which means a new generation of girls can embrace this female superhero.

Now it's hard to know which Wonder Woman costume will be the most popular - the classic costume or the movie Wonder Woman costume.  I suggest you just choose the one you prefer.

Eleven Costume from Stranger Things

Joint Number One Women's Costume for 2019

Eleven Costume

I keep telling myself that I must watch Stranger Things as I keep hearing how amazing it is.  I don't know who the character Eleven is, but she tied with Wonder Woman as the most popular, trending costume for women this year.

As far as I can tell there is only one costume which is a pink dress with green and yellow banded sports socks.

Having had a look at Google Images for Eleven there does seem to be a couple of other options for a costume that fans of the show may want to create for themselves.

Rey Halloween Costume

Third Most Popular Women's Costume for Halloween 2019

Rey Costume

I have put Rey as the third Halloween costume and yet it got the same number of mentions as the rest of the list.  Why I'm elevating it above the others however is because on a couple of sites they mentioned any Star Wars costume (as opposed to picking one particular one such as Rey or Princess Leia).

Let's face it Star Wars is a classic Halloween themed costume, I don't see that ever changing!

There are a few different Rey costumes available, including what I think of as the classic Rey costume that is pictured here.

More Women's Costumes for Halloween 2019

Let's Round Out the Top 10 Costume Ideas

The next seven costumes for women all seemed to be just as popular as each other, trending slightly differently on different sites, but being mentioned the same amount of time.

So in no particular order let's check out the next costume ideas ...

Flapper Costumes for Women

Check out the Flapper Costumes

I was so surprised that flapper costumes look like trending strong this year.

These costumes have been extremely popular for a number of years now, not that I'm surprised as I really love them

I'm linking out to a site that has a number of absolutely fabulous 1920 flapper dresses available for you to enjoy.

The article also talks about different accessories to add to your beautiful flapper dress to help pull it all together as the perfect 1920s flapper girl look.

Ghostbuster Costumes for Women

Check Out the Ghostbusters Costumes

It's been three years since the remake of Ghostbusters with a female cast and yet it appears that these costumes are still trending this year!

I do love both the 2016 Ghostbusters as well as the original Ghostbusters overalls and they are also a great costume to wear if you're going out with a couple of friends and want a group costume idea.

In this article on Ghostbusters costumes, it also features a couple of other costume ideas that aren't the Ghostbusters themselves which is perfect if you're looking for a group costume idea.

Winifred Sanderson Costume

A Hocus Pocus Costume Idea

If you're trying to think, who is Winifred Sanderson and why does the same seem familiar, she's one of the witches from the 1993 movie Hocus Pocus.  To celebrate the 25th anniversary of this popular movie last year there were a number of membrabillia released including a range of Hocus Pocus Halloween costumes. 

I believe that this is why Winifred's costumes really trended last year, I'm not sure why the Sarah Sanderson and Mary Sanderson costumes haven't received as much attention, although I guess everyone thinks of Bette Midler's character before the other two.   2022 is proving that Winifred Sanderson is still a very popular choice as a Halloween costume.

Finding these official costumes has proved a little tricky however which is why I've included this diy no-sew tutorial for your very own Winifred costume -

Baywatch Costume

Baywatch Costume

Although it's been a while since the 2017 movie of Baywatch it appears the costumes are still trending.

Looking at the costumes available they don't seem to have changed since the popular television series which I'm sure you all must have seen at least a couple of episodes of.

In my opinion this is definitely best to go with if you're in a warm climate for Halloween!   Also don't forget to practice the 'slow mo running' to really bring the costume to life!

Harley Quinn Halloween Costume

There are lots of different Harley Quinn costumes available and I actually wrote about them here.   It surprises me that the Suicide Squad Harley Quinn costume is still trending as a must have Halloween costume for 2019, although I guess I shouldn't be surprised as Harley Quinn is quite a character.

Check out the range of Harley Quinn Costumes

Daenerys Targaryen Costume

Even though Game of Thrones has ended their costumes are still popular including for men Jon Snow and the White Walkers.  When it comes to costumes for women though there seems to be a clear winner with the Mother of Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen.

There are a number of costumes available for Daenerys to choose from and I must admit as a fan of hers I really can't decide which costume I would want to choose!

Check out the Daenerys Targaryen Costumes

The Handmaid's Halloween Costume

The Handmaid's Tale is yet another show that I am yet to watch even though the reviews were amazing.  With a successful third season airing this year it's hardly surprising to find this simple costume is popular.

The thing I love about this costume is that I can see the costume being easy to adapt into other costumes in future years which is something I love.

 Women's Red Handmaid Full Set Costume - Dress & Robe, Red

Which Costume Will You Choose

Would you like to wear one of these ten top trending Halloween costumes this year, or will you be looking to make you own mark with something different or a classic that you love?

We have a number of costume pages on this site that you might find inspiration from -

Top Three Group Costume Ideas for Halloween
There are some wonderful ideas for group costumes, but sometimes when you're trying to think of just one you go completely blank! This article gives you three of the top group costume ideas for Halloween which you will love.

The Best Animal Costumes for Halloween
Animal costumes are always a fun idea for Halloween. Heather reviews some of the animal costumes that are proving to be popular, even though she's loving her peacock costume she gives a nod to the other costumes available. I've always found dog themed costumes to be popular near where I live, but Heather reveals the most popular animal costume in her part of the world - guess what it is!

Reviewing Hobo Costume Ideas, Head to Toe
I must admit I had never thought about dressing up as a hobo for Halloween until I read Susan's article and I must say it's an ingenious idea. I do love an easy diy costume idea and this is certainly one of those, perfect for a last minute costume idea if you were thinking of missing Halloween this year and changed your mind on the day!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Arbonne's Focus Blend - An Aromatherapy Blend of Essential Oils

Purchase here!

I do love using essential oils so when Arbonne released a new blend of essential oils I couldn't wait to see what it smelt like!   Their Focus Oil has a very pleasant fresh & herbacious scent that isn't overpowering or divisive in aroma.

This blend of oils contains basil, rosemary, frankincense, bergamot and lemon.   The combination of these oils helps to clear the mind and uplift your emotions which is perfect for increasing your focus and productivity.

I have been using it in a diffuser while my daughter studies (she's in her last year of high school).  Now I think her attitude has changed as she's been more diligent even before I got the focus blend, however she does seem to be able to concentrate a lot easier since I started using the blend and is really excelling with her assignments.

So why these particular oils?

Basil oil is great for clearing the head as well as being uplifting, let's face it when we're happier we can concentrate better so this is a good start for the blend.  Don't take my word for it though according to Robert Tisserand (The Art of Aromatherapy) basil oil 'clears the head, relieves intellectial fatigue, and gives the mind strength and clarity.'   He goes on to say that the oil is ' uplifting, clarifying and strengthening.'

Now we add Rosemary oil to the blend.  Rosemary has traditionally been used for memory and is also a classic remedy for headaches and migraines.  I think this makes it ideal for use when we need to focus on something as that can lead to headaches so another great addition to this Focus blend.

Frankincense was one of the most highly prized substances of the ancient world hence the offering of frankincense by the Magi to the infant Jesus.  Although in centuries past frankincense has been revered for it's skin care preparations it also has an elevating and soothing effect on the mind and emotions.

Bergamot doesn't really seem to help with focus and concentration as such, but it is one of the more uplifting oils and is regularly used to help with depression and states of anxiety.  I think the inclusion in this blend is because of it's uplifting qualities.   You can concentrate on things a lot easier and your mind stays a lot clearer if you're happier than if you're sad.

Lemon is another oil that is uplifting - all of the citrus oils seem to promote happy feelings.

When to Use the Focus Blend

Anytime you need to focus or concentrate on something you'll find that the Focus Blend is ideal so whether you're writing a blog post, a proposal for work, studying for an exam or trying to balance the books - Focus Oil is the one for you!

Another time when I would be using this blend of oils is on a long car trip.  You can easily buy car diffusers these days and I would definitely advise investing in one if you travel alot.  This blend can keep you focused on long journeys or if driving home from work after a long day.

If you don't have a car diffuser you can still use the oil in a car, back when I first discovered the power of aromatherapy I couldn't find an affordable car diffuser so I simply placed a few drops of oil on a handkerchief (or even a tissue on occasion) and attached it over the air vents of the car.

You can also use this oil in the home when you feel people need more focus or clarity, like if they're suffering from grief, depression, recuperating from sickness.

If you're an anxious person, or you have an important meeting, event and are nervous about it then you could use a few drops of the focus blend in an aromatherapy necklace or on a tissue in your pocket to sniff throughout the day/ before the meeting.

Could You Use Some Focus Blend in Your Life?

I definitely have days when my mind feels like it has about 50 browser windows open and a 100 sticky notes stuck all over it so I really do need to use the focus blend in order to get things done!  I'd love to know if you need this oil or not.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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How To Make The Easiest Cuticle Oil Ever

Photo's by Lou16

Today I'm going to review how to make the easiest cuticle oil ever. Once you see how easy it is you'll wonder why you haven't always made your own DIY cuticle oil!

Don't use a cuticle oil? You're not alone, it's a step many people miss out when they do their nails at home. I must admit, but cuticles were in pretty bad shape and I would just rub my hand cream into them and think 'oh well, that's just my cuticles!'

This year I've decided to treat myself my getting my nails done once a month (well it's about every three weeks, but my husband thinks it's a monthly thing LOL!) and I do love it when they pop on the cuticle oil at the end. My cuticles are looking much better, but they would look even better if I used it a little bit more often.

Now I like the idea of using natural products and not having some of the additives that you find in some skincare/personal care products being present. I also know that lemon oil is great for softening cuticles, I just had to look for some cuticle oil recipes ...

There are so many recipes for DIY cuticle oil that they would make your head spin, but many of them used so many ingredients that it just seem such an effort. Using sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, vitamin E oil and about 5 different essential oils just seemed a lot for me to recommend to people, after all we don't have all these ingredients just lying around the house do we?

Well I found a recipe that used olive oil and just two essential oils and I changed the essential oils (based on my own aromatherapy knowledge, and on what I had on hand) and I've come up with the easiest cuticle oil ever -

Easy DIY Cuticle Oil That Your Nails Will Love!

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 drops pure lemon essential oil
2 drops pure lavender essential oil.

Simply mix the ingredients together and keep in a bottle, I recommend seeing if you can find a nail polish style of bottle with a nail polish brush to keep it in (they didn't have any at my local store) or even a roller bottle.

These type of bottles will made it easier to apply, but aren't essential.   As you can see from my photo I just used a test tube style bottle (as I had it on hand) and I use a Q-tip to add the oil around my nails. I will let you know, however, that I have some roller bottles on order.

Lemon oil is fantastic for softening hard skin which is why it's a perfect addition to a cuticle oil. Lavender oil is a very nourishing oil, softening and just great for skin. The combination of these two oils works fantastically to help keep your cuticles looking fabulous and as an added bonus, using a cuticle oil after a manicure actually helps it stay looking beautiful for longer something I've only just found out!

                                                                                                                                                              
EXTRA TIP - if you take vitamin E capsules then simple pierce one of them and squeeze the contents into the cuticle oil.  It will make the oil even more moisturizing and rich (a much cheaper alternative to adding vitamin E oil!).
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
It's very important that you use pure essential oils and not synthetic ones when making your own skincare as each essential oil brings it's own benefits and fragrant oils don't have these benefits.

I love to use Arbonne's essential oils when available, if I'm after an oil that they don't have then I make sure that the one I buy is 100% pure essential oil.

Aromatherapy Isn't Just About DIY Skincare!

You can use essential oils for lots of different things, here's a few articles that you might find interesting ...

How Aromatherapy Can Help Stress
Aromatherapy has proven to be very successful at helping to relieve stress, simply by using certain essential oils stress and conditions caused by stress can be alleveiated.

Essential Oil Room Humidifier and Diffuser
Using essential oils in a humidifier or diffuser can add a lovely atmosphere to a room as essential oils can really help to work on your emotions from relaxing you or making you more upbeat.

Reviewing Uses for Tea Tree Oil
The herbaceous fragrance of tea tree doesn't begin to hint at how many uses there are for this essential oil from medicinal to beauty to household uses this is one very versatile essential oil.

PIN ME

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Ways to Earn Money That Aren't Your Average 9 to 5 Job

Image by Lou16

The internet has made the world seem smaller, it has also opened up opportunities for many people to embrace the idea of a side hustle or to even take the place of a more conventional day job.

Let's review a few ways that you can earn money that aren't talked about by your careers adviser in school. The wonderful contributors on this website have embraced several different ways of earning money and if you have similar talents then you may wish to embrace some of their methods.

So what ideas shall we discuss? Writing, photography, craft, recommendations, graphic design and even singing to cats!

You have probably heard the saying that if you do something you love you'll never work a day in your life. My late (offline) boss used to love this saying and he lived it too as he was at the office every day until his final two weeks (a month shy of his 90th birthday), he was even still studying a few months earlier! A few people who's articles you may have enjoyed on this site also seem to have taken these words to heart such as Mbg Photo & Wednesday Elf ...

Photography, Graphic Designs & Art

Mbg photo loves both photography and lighthouses so how to combine two loves and earn money at the same time? You sell your photographs of lighthouses on different products that people can purchase online. This is done with the aid of a number of print on demand sites, a popular one of these sites is Zazzle and you can see some wonderful lighthouses at Mgb Photo's Zazzle store - Lighthouse Gifts and Photos.

Zazzle is a great site to upload your own photography on, but you don't have to stop there.  Other popular ways to earn with Zazzle include typographical designs, in fact I had two very popular t-shirt designs that were just word based!  If you have a graphic design background or are an artist you could do well on this site.

Crocheting and Other Crafts

Wednesday Elf enjoys crocheting and she can utilize her talents by selling some of her amazing crocheted plush animals (and other goodies) in her very own Etsy store - Coastal Crochet Crafts.  There are a number of different crafts that you can make and put for sale on Etsy.  So if you enjoy crochet, knitting, jewelry making or even creating butterfly wings for costumes then you can sell your goods on Etsy.

Writing

When it comes to writing there are several different ways to earn money - writing a blog about things you love, reviewing products or even writing a book!   Sylvestermouse loves Christmas and plans for it throughout the year which is why she runs a couple of different sites around the holidays including Christmas Time Treasures.

BarbRad (like many of us) is a self-confessed bookworm and amongst her many book related blogs she reviews books at Bookworm Buffet (an awesome name for a book review site in my opinion!).

Anyone can set up their own website these days whether it's on the blogger platform, wordpress or even a site like weebly.   If that idea is too daunting for you then you could start writing on content sites such as hubpages or wizzley - earning money on these sites takes a while, but it's a good place to ease into the world of online writing.

Writing a book has become a lot easier with the internet because you can publish ebooks yourself.  It takes a lot more discipline to write a book in my opinion though.  One of our wonderful contributors has done this, however, with not just one, but two books - Bev Owen's cozy mysteries can be brought through Amazon.

Uber, Airbnb & Airtasker

Other ways of making money include the ride sharing economy such as Uber - simply use your car (provided it meets the requirements), download the app and you can choose your own hours for making money as a driver.  I know people who do this as a full time income as well as people who do it around other jobs.

Airbnb is a very popular way to cash in on extra room at home that can also lead you to meeting a variety of people.  Friends of ours do very well with this source of income which enables one of them to stay home and look after the children full time.

Airtasker is one way to earn money that I haven't used and nor do I know anyone who has.  I have heard interesting things about it though and it certainly seems like an interesting way to offer up any skills you have to earn money.  I was watching a segment on our local news program where they interviewed the head of airtasker in Australia and he said that the most unusual way someone had made money in the past year was by singing to a pet cat for an hour a day!

Recommendations

Recommending things is a great way to earn money and this can be done in a number of different ways.   One way is to write reviews (as we mentioned under writing) and in this way we can earn advertising income on a blog or we can earn via affiliate marketing.

With affiliate marketing we get a commission on any sales we make when we recommend things so you could look at one of Treasures by Brenda's sites which is called Movie Treasures by Brenda.  This site reviews movies and if you click on the movie and purchase it Brenda can receive a commision.  

Recommendations are very powerful you've only got to see how many Facebook recommendations you see in a day.  People just can't seem to resist giving recommendations (usually for free).  You don't have to write an article or blog post to earn money with recommendations you could try social marketing (previously called network marketing).

I actually belong to a social marketing company called Arbonne and basically I love the products so recommend them to people and then they buy them through me and I make a commission.  If they start recommending them to other people then I let them know that they could become a consultant themselves and make the commission for themselves instead of sending me clients!

The company I work for provide us with a website so the business can be wholly conducted online, but face to face recommendations works really well and I would recommend a combination of the two to be really successful.

There are a number of social marketing companies around, but my (albeit biased) opinion is that Arbonne is the best so if you are interested in finding out more please send me a message via my Facebook business page or via instagram.

Even More Ways to Make Money

Other ideas for making money is by offering to be a social media manager for small local businesses, setting up and/or looking after websites for local businesses.

Then of course there's always going back to basics and offering handyman services, shopping services, dog walking services.

The list really is endless, whether it's a local task or a global task there really seems as though there's nothing you can't make money from if you think outside of the office cubicle!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing 3 Natural Ways to Relieve a Headache

Headaches are no fun, but did you know that you don't have to reach for your bottle of asprin or paracetamol/tylenol when you feel one coming on. 

There are a number of natural remedies that you can try first.

I'm going to review 3 different ways to help relieve a headache that I have tried myself and have found successful. 

I have studied aromatherapy and herbology in the past, but I am not a doctor so if you have persistent headaches please consult your medical practitioner.

Using Aromatherapy to Ease a Headache

A very effective way to ease a headache is with lavender oil.   Now if you headache is caused by stress then relieving your stress levels is a great idea so check out this article -

Reviewing How Aromatherapy Can Help Relieve Stress
If stress is getting you down then you need to use a little aromatherapy magic. Let me show you what essential oils you need to use and exactly how to use them to effectively ease stress.

Now back to lavender oil.  This is one of the few pure, essential oils that you can use undiluted.  Simply tip the bottle upside down onto your index finger on one hand and then do the same on the other.  You should end up with a drop on each finger.

You massage your fingers into your temple like the photo below -

Photo courtesy of Lou's Designs

I used to try this for migraines (which I used to get every month before I had my daughter), it used to reduce the severity of the headache, although it didn't help with the lack of balance and light sensitivity (but you can't have everything!).

When it comes to just a standard headache, if I'm at home with lavender on hand this works really well.

Eating Almonds, Not Asprin for a Headache!

Now when I was told last year that merely eating almonds could help a headache I was a little skeptical, but then I tried it with success.  Initially I wondered if it was just a coincidence, but I have tried it a few times now and it has worked.

I have also looked into why this works and when I saw that almonds are a good source of magnesium I realized that's why they're effective.  Magnesium actually helps to relax your blood vessels and it's often when your blood vessels are tight that you get headaches.

How many almonds to take?  The recommendation is 10-12 almonds, but when I've tried them I've only taken 6-8 each time, then again when I have resorted to taking paracetamol/tylenol I only take 1 not 2.

Hydration is Vital for Keeping Headaches at Bay!

I read somewhere that dehydration is one of the leading causes of headaches, now I don't know exactly how factual that statement is, but it wouldn't surprise me.  Most people I know just do not drink enough water and by consuming more processed foods we are also digesting less water through our meals as well.

When my daughter complains of a headache the first thing I ask her is 'have you drunk much today?' the reply is usually no!  Now when you're dehydrated just drinking water sometimes isn't enough to ease the headache quickly as you need to get electrolytes into your system too.

If you have any watermelon on hand this is an excellent source of natural electrolytes and it has the added bonus that most kids who don't want to drink water will happily consume a slice or two of watermelon!

Another option is to have an electrolyte drink (often marketed as sports drinks).  This will work, but the side effect with most of the ones on the market is that they tend to be really high in sugar.  This is one of the reasons (I believe) that after drinking them you are sometimes left feeling even thirstier.

One drink that I use and also give my teenager is Arbonne's Complete Hydration as it's much lower in sugar and is formulated to hydrate on a cellular level.   This means that it doesn't leave you feeling thirsty.

Have You Tried Natural Ways to Ease A Headache?

I'd love to know if you've tried any of these three ways to ease a headache or if you have a different natural method to help your headaches.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing BeWell Superfood Greens by Arbonne

BeWell Superfood Greens

We all know that we need to eat lots of veggies, most of our moms would tell us to eat up our greens when we were growing up and I know I used to challenge my daughter to eat a rainbow every day when she was younger (I made sure to let her know M&Ms did NOT count!).  Sometimes it is hard to get as many serves of fruit and vegetables as we should have into our daily lives though.

It can't just be a problem for me can it?  I didn't use to have any veggies with my breakfast until I discovered green smoothies, which meant I had to up my game come lunchtime.  Dinner has always been easy to fit lots of vegetables into and fruit can be consumed as a snack, but I would still have days when I came up short on my 5 serves of veg and 2 of fruit.

Next, I heard that instead of 7 a day we should be eating 10 a day and I must admit my first reaction was to throw my hands up in the air and give up!

Now some readers will know that I embarked on a healthy weight loss journey in December 2017 and this has been successful in both weight loss and health benefits - I have so much more energy it's like I've rediscovered my inner spark!  My journey uses Arbonne's 30 Days to Healthy Living and Beyond plan and it was through this plan that I was introduced to the BeWell Superfood Greens (or Greens Balance as it used to be called).

So, What exactly are BeWell Superfood Greens?

The BeWell Superfood Greens is a deep green powder that reminded me (in color and smell) of spirulina when I first saw it.  This is hardly a surprise when you look at the ingredients and see that it contains this nutrient-dense alga along with wheat and barley grass and an array of different fruits and vegetables.

In just one scoop of this powder you really can say you're eating a rainbow!  A few of the fruit and vegetables that are in this powder are kale, broccoli, pomegranate, tomato, pumpkin, mango, blueberry and purple sweet potato.   As well as containing all the nutrients different colored fruit and veg provide, this powder also contains a powerful prebiotic fibre to help support a healthy digestive system.

BeWell Superfood Greens

How Do I Use BeWell Superfood Greens?

As it's in powder form this makes it very easy to use, some people mix it in a little water and drink it like a shot of wheatgrass.  When I first saw and smelt the Greens Balance (as it was originally called) I thought people were crazy taking it this way so I did the following ...

I like to add a scoop into my breakfast smoothie, when I add cacao powder or a handful of berries I find that I can't even taste the greens balance, yet I'm getting all of that goodness.

I usually only have one scoop a day, but when my family (and a number of work colleagues) were sick with a flu virus earlier this year I actually added a scoop to my lunchtime shake as well.  I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, but I always believe that a good immune system requires good nutrition which is why I did this.   It may just be a coincidence, but I never got the virus despite being surrounded by all the germs!

After I had been adding it to my shakes for several months I did try it as a shot and I quite liked it that way, until I discovered something called the Green Ogre Drink and now that's the way I like to take my shot of Superfood Greens every day!

You can also add the Superfood Greens to dishes when cooking to increase the vegetable content, I haven't personally tried this, but it sounds like a great idea.

Does It Really Help Though?

"It sounds good, but how do I know if it's doing anything for me?"  This is often a problem when you're doing lots of things to improve your health and you're not sure which ones are really necessary, but I will NOT be giving up my greens balance ......

I am feeling a lot healthier this year and my energy levels are fantastic, my immune system is awesome, my hormones are balanced, my rheumatoid arthritis is not only under control, but I wake up to no pain or stiffness at all.   Let's just say that what I'm doing is working really well.   Of course everyone is different and you should always contact a medical professional. 

A few weeks ago I actually ran out of my BeWell Superfood Greens (I thought I had another tub, but didn't), my order was delayed and I went 1 day with only half a scoop and 3 days with no greens.   Now I didn't think much of it until I got home from work on the 2nd day of not having any and I was really tired.   When I said to my husband how shattered I felt his first response was have you eaten enough?  I had eaten plenty, but that's when I realized that what was missing was the greens balance.

I am not letting the tub get too low before re-ordering again!

Do I Need BeWell Superfood Greens if I Have a Good Diet?

I think I have a good diet, I have at least half a plate of vegetables with my main meal every night, lunches have been a problem in the past, but the past couple of years they have usually included either a salad or a vegetable soup (depending on the season).  Breakfast would often be my downfall, in the summer I would have some fruit and occasionally some veg included, but in winter when I used to have porridge there wouldn't be any fruit or veg. 

I still feel I need greens balance.   Only you know how much you eat, but I personally don't think you can ever have too much good nutrition.  I seriously am now considering it to be as important as my health insurance.

Where to Get BeWell Superfood Greens?

You will need to purchase your Superfood Greens online through any of the links I've provided, but if you want to contact me via my facebook page (Louanne Cox Business) then I can let you know how to get 20% off the standard retail price   Well worth looking into if you're planning on taking this every day.

How Long Does the Tub of Greens Last?

At one scoop a day a tub of greens balance will last you 30 days.

Have More Questions?

If you want to know the full list of ingredients or have any questions that I haven't covered here then go straight to the website - here - and look at the product sheet.  Alternatively, comment below or message me privately (via my facebook page or instagram).

Another Fun Way to Increase Vegetables in Your Diet

If you're not a fan of adding a nutritional supplement to your diet then you have to get creative with ways of increasing your veggie count and one way I do this is by using a spiralizer ...

Easily Increase Your Vegetable Intake with a Spiralizer
A fun way to increase the vegetable content of your meal is to turn vegetables into noodles. This is really easy to do with a spiralizer.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing The Magic by Rhonda Byrne

Photo by Louanne Cox

I must be one of the few people in the world who hasn't read Rhonda Byrne's bestseller The Secret, I did get it out of the library a few years back, but I just couldn't get into it and I had some juicy whodunnits to read instead!

I have been told that books come into your life at just the right time and I think that this is true with The Magic.

The basis of this book is showing gratitude which is the basis of most spiritual teachings from Christianity to Buddhism.   Whatever your belief system this book is a great way of teaching you how to practice gratitude in your life.

I like the book because it's short chapters, each of which has an exercise for you to do and it's designed to be read one chapter a day.  I found this easy to add into my morning routine and was enjoying doing the exercises as well until I came to one chapter and just could not complete that particular exercise!

After a number of days, I decided to leave that chapter and carry on with the rest and there were a few that I found I couldn't complete.   My daughter is reading the book now and I'll revisit it in a couple of months when I can hopefully complete all of the exercises.

I didn't find that the book taught me a lot that I didn't know, but by doing the exercises and really thinking about my blessings and showing my gratitude I have noticed a few things in my life have changed.

I really recommend this for everyone, personally, I was finding myself becoming very negative about a situation in my life (and I hate being negative I should add, I much prefer the positive side of myself) and I credit this book with helping me 'find' my positive side again.   I also made an achievement in my work life which I think was directly connected to one of the exercises in the book.

Have you read The Magic?

I'd be interested to know if you've read The Magic and/or The Secret.  I think once I've finished a couple of the books on my list I might try and read The Secret again and see if I get past the first few pages!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Smoothie Bowl Recipes

Taken by Louanne Cox

Here at Review This it seems that a few of us enjoy our smoothies.  I have been having a smoothie nearly every morning since I first did a 30 Days to Healthy Living and Beyond plan*.

I do like to take my smoothie up a notch some days though (especially on the weekend) with a smoothie bowl.   My very first smoothie bowl was essentially just a chocolate one topped with hazelnuts and it was like having a delicious chocolate treat ... that was healthy - how much better does life get?

What is a Smoothie Bowl?

Essentially a smoothie bowl is a thick smoothie served in a bowl with different toppings and it is delicious.  You can have a myriad of different flavors and there are really no rules as to what you can pop on top - I have seen some amazing-looking ones on instagram.

Smoothie Bowl Recipes

The smoothie bowl that I have the most for breakfast is a chocolate cherry one.

200 ml water
2 scoops vegan chocolate protein powder (I use the Arbonne one as it's the only one I really like the taste of)
1 scoop Be Well Superfood Greens (this powder contains fruit and veg goodness and gives me energy during the day)
1 scoop daily fibre
1 tsp cacao powder
8 frozen cherries
1/2 avocado

I blend all of this together and the combination of the avocado and 50ml less water than I use for my 'normal smoothie' makes this into a lovely thickness.

I serve it into a bowl and then add toppings.  Sometimes I add fresh raspberries and chopped nuts, sometimes I sprinkle coconut on it as I love cherries with coconut.

We couldn't get frozen cherries for a couple of weeks so I would use frozen strawberries, frozen blackberries or a combination of the two and this was also delicious.

I sometimes don't feel like chocolate, but I've never been sure what avocado would taste like in a vanilla smoothie.  As I was looking through my instagram feed I came across a recipe that used zucchini in a smoothie so I reached out to the person and asked about it.

This next smoothie bowl was delicious ..

200 ml water
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (the Arbonne one of course!)
1 tsp acai powder
6 x frozen strawberries
6 x frozen blackberries
1/2 zucchini

I blended this up and it made a vibrant delicious looking smoothie (that tasted delicious too by the way).  I topped it with chopped mixed nuts and some fresh raspberries.

Now the zucchini added a thickness and creaminess to the smoothie, but you couldn't really taste it which was good.  I wanted it a little thicker the second time I made it so I added a whole zucchini - big mistake!   Zucchini has a high water content so if you want it thicker than this one reduce the water to 150 ml do not increase the amount of zucchini!

On Mother's Day, my daughter took me out to breakfast where I had a smoothie bowl that was out of this world.

Decorated with not just fruit, seeds and coconut, but flowers too!

I don't have their recipe, but I really need to up my game as you can see here -

The Ultimate Smoothie Bowl!

Check out some of our other smoothie reviews -

Tropical Fruit Smoothie Recipe Reviewed
The tropical fruit smoothies taste really good and they are very easy to make. Simply gather your favorite tropical fruits and the blender and you have a quick and healthy snack for breakfast, lunch or after dinner!

Reviewing Chocolate Smoothies
Enjoying your chocolate is easy when you make it into a smoothie. Yes, I have gotten into smoothies lately. And since I can't not have chocolate as part of my day, a chocolate smoothie sounded great.

Healthy and Delicious Smoothies
Some time ago I began trying to eat healthier foods and cut things from my diet such as soda. One of the things I've enjoyed are green smoothies.

*By the way if you're interested in finding out more about my 30 days to healthy living and beyond plan please message me via my facebook business page or instagram. Personally I have lots more energy, my hormones are balanced, the inflammation from my rheumatoid arthritis is non existent and I've lost 13.4kg over the past 6 months.

Back to smoothie bowls - have you ever made your own smoothie bowl and what was your favorite flavor combination?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing How Aromatherapy Can Help Relieve Stress

Buy Your Lavender Oil Here!

I love using aromatherapy and it's awesome for many different things, but one thing that aromatherapy is often used to help with is stress.

I thought it would be handy to showcase which aromatherapy oils are the best to help relieve stress and how you can incorporate them into your lifestyle to make stress a thing of the past.

The best stress-busting essential oils that aromatherapy has to offer are:

• Bergamot
• Lemon
• Lavender
• Gerarnium
• Chamomile

The best thing about these five oils is that they also smell absolutely divine too (a win/win).

Bergamot Oil

Bergamot oil is a very uplifting oil and is great for keeping you feeling positive and avoiding stress.  I love the smell of Bergamot - it always puts me in a 'happy' mood.

Bergamot can help with -

• depression
• nervous tension
• relaxation
• general well being

Lemon Oil

Lemon oil also has uplifting properties (most of the citrus oils do) and gives you a feeling of positivity.  Lemon oil has the advantage of being anti-bacterial and anti-viral so if your immune system is feeling the effects of too much stress, lemon oil can help.

Lemon oil can help with -

• relaxation
• nervous tension
• general well being

Lavender Oil

Lavender oil has so many properties that it really is the super oil of all oils, often referred to as a first aid kit in a bottle.  Combine that with the fact that the fragrance is just as beautiful you're onto a winner!

Lavender oil can help with -

• depression
• headaches
• high blood pressure
• migrane
• insomnia
• nervous tension

Geranium Oil

Geranium oil is one of the few that can be blended with nearly any other oil.  It goes extremely well with rose, however and all of the citrus oils.

Geranium oil can help with -

• depression
• nervous tension
• nervous pain
• anxiety

Chamomile Oil

Chamomile oil has a very low toxicity which is why it is often used with children.

Chamomile oil can help with -

• depression
• headache
• insomnia
• irritability
• migrane
• hysteria

Essential oils really are a fantastic way to keep stress levels down.   I managed a shop for a number of years and we had an aromatherapy burner going all day.  My stress levels (especially considering how busy we were) were always kept under control.  My first experience of work stress didn't happen until after leaving this environment.

Common Stress Problems

Common stress problems include headaches, low libido insomnia, high blood pressure, depression, irritability, anxiety and exhaustion.

Headaches - the classic essential oil for stress headaches and migraines is lavender.  Simply put a drop on each middle finger and massage into your temples (lavender is one of the few essential oils you can use neat, usually you should dilute pure essential oils before putting onto the skin)

Insomnia - chamomile is a fantastic essential oil for helping with insomnia, especially when combined with lavender oil.   Leave a diffuser going in the bedroom or have a chamomile and lavender bath before going to bed.   When my daughter was teething she had problems sleeping so (as I didn't have a diffuser at that time) I put a couple of drops of chamomile on a hankerchief and placed this under the mattress in her cot.  It really seemed to help settle her.

Low Libido - when stress starts to affect your sex life then you want to grab some Jasmine oil (this oils has athrodisiac properties) as this works really well in combination with lavender, chamomile, bergamot or geranium.  Add a couple of drops of jasmine along with a couple of drops of one of your stress oils into a carrier oil and try a massage.

High Blood Pressure - this needs to be approached in a holistic manner, but both lavender and lemon oils are fantastic in helping to support other methods of reducing blood pressure.

How Do I Use Essential Oils?

Now that you've worked out what oils you need - what do you do with them?  Essential oils can be used in diffusers, burners, baths, massages, lotions and creams.

Diffusers

Diffusers are wonderful, if you're able to have them going at work it is fantastic.  When you're trying to convince your employer to let you have a diffuser at work point them in the direction of Takasago.  Takasago is a Japanese company who released essential oils into the office air of computer and word processing operators to see if it affected productivity.

The results showed an increase in productivity, reduction in error rates and a reduction in stress levels.  The productivity rates were all increased by between 21% and 54% depending on the oils used.  Take this to your boss and he won't just let you use a diffuser in the office he may even buy one for you!

De-Stress On Your Drive Home

Car Diffusers

Driving home you can use aromatherapy as well and reduce the chance of road rage!  Simply get a car diffuser, they usually plug into the cigarette lighter.  If you If you don't want to use one of these you can put a couple of drops of essential oil on a tissue and leave it over the airvent so that it can diffuse throughout the car. This is also a great tip for long car trips to stay alert when driving - we used a combination of lemon and rosemary on a road trip a few years ago - I'm digressing now. Back to stress!

Massages

Regular Aromatherapy massages are fantastic, if you're under a lot of stress then booking in to have a weekly massage is a great idea. A friend of mine finds that once a month is enough for her as her work stress levels aren't really high, but are fairly consistent.

Massage by itself is great for stress, but seeing an Aromatherapist means that you'll have the added benefits of the power of essential oils as well.

Baths

Baths are a fantastic way of 'washing away' the stresses of the day. The Romans and Egyptians have long known the benefits of bathing. In our quest for speed and efficiency we have switched to quick showers and have lost the relaxation of a bath along the way. Combine the relaxing properties of a bath with the power of aromatherapy and you will be much happier.

Other ways to incorporate aromatherapy are using burners, candles, body lotions and creams.

Some Helpful Aromatherapy Blends

General Formula for the Workplace

This formula will enable everyone to cope before they get stressed out and it also has the added benefit of keeping their immune systems healthy (always good in an office environment).

Bergamot 7 drops
Lavender 3 drops
Lemon 2 drops

Mix these ratios of oils together and put in a diffuser to keep your workplace happy and healthy.

Anxiety Formula

Lavender 10 drops
Geranium 10 drops
Bergamot 10 drops

This same combination works really well for Depression although in different ratios

Depression Formula (from Valerie Ann Worwood's The Fragrant Pharmacy)

Geranium 15 drops
Lavender 5 drops
Bergamot 10 drops

Geranium is a really good oil to use as an uplifting influence on your emotions and although I have already talked about using chamomile and lavender together for headaches, Geranium can also be used.

Headache Formula

Equal parts lavender , chamomile and geranium

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Have You Used Aromatherapy to Reduce Stress?

I'd love to know which oils you used and what the results were ...

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Uses for Tea Tree Oil

Click here to buy some Tea Tree Oil

I was first introduced to Tea Tree oil over 20 years ago and absolutely love it.  At the time that I was introduced to it I was managing a health food store in New Zealand and the brand I used was Thursday Plantation.  Thursday Plantation was the first company to make tea tree oil commercially, but over the years many other companies have followed suit.

I was really excited when Arbonne released their new products for the year and tea tree oil was one of them.  As a company I love the ethics of Arbonne, the fact that all of their products are of high quality, PETA approved, vegan and so much more means that I will be using their tea tree oil.

How Do I Use Tea Tree OIl

Treating Things with Tea Tree Oil

Over the years I have used tea tree oil in many ways, from household uses to medicinal uses and there are lots of other uses that I haven't tried.

Tea Tree oil has antiseptic properties and is both a germicide and a fungicide, in fact according to Valerie Ann Worwood (The Fragrant Pharmacy) it's antiseptic properties are thought to be 100 x more powerful than carbolic acid.

I have used it in a diffuser or burner when I've been sick (although to be honest I prefer lemon oil as it doesn't make the house smell like a hospital!).

My husband used to get a recurring fungal infection on his toe nail and was constantly using a cream from the doctor which would help it, but it would never go away completely.  I decided that we should use tea tree oil (much to the dismay of my sceptical husband!)  I put one drop of tea tree oil onto a dampened cotton bud and wiped it over the nail twice a day.  Much to my husband's disbelief it actually worked and the fungal nail infection went away completely.

The owner of the health food store I managed used to get dandruff and he found that once he used a tea tree shampoo and conditioner it cleared up.  Well to be honest I didn't think my husband would like the smell of the shampoo and conditioner and I already had the oil so I told him to put the shampoo onto his hand and then add one drop of tea tree oil, mixed it together and then use it on his head.  Lo and behold his dandruff disappeared.

It's amazing how over the years my husband has been much less of a sceptic!

Beauty Uses for Tea Tree Oil

When I worked at the health food shop there were a few products for acne that were based on tea tree oil that were very successful for our customers, but I heard of a couple of cool ideas on a training I recently attended.

Tea Tree Skin Tonic

2 drops of tea tree oil
40 drops of witch hazel

Use this on your skin in place of a toner.  I think this is awesome as I know a couple of years ago I worked with a young lady and she used straight witch hazel to clear up her problem skin, coupled with my previous customer's experience with tea tree I think this is a winning combination.

If you have blemishes anywhere on your body you could add a couple of drops to coconut oil or jojoba oil and apply to your skin.

You can add 1-2 drops to your existing masks, scrubs or face creams.  The only thing you can NOT do is add it straight onto your skin.  This is a pure essential oil which means it's highly concentrated and should always be diluted before using.

Steam Bath for Acne

Of course you can always add hot water to a bowl with 2-3 drops of Tea Tree oil and then pop a towel over your head and the bowl and let the combination of steam and tea tree work it's magic.  As a disclaimer although I remember my friends steaming their face as an 'acne cure' as a teen I didn't suffer from acne so I'm not sure if it worked.  My daughter tried it a couple of times, but didn't like the smell as it reminded her that I used tea tree on her when she had nits!  (I can't remember the ratio I used for that).  As she wouldn't give it a chance it didn't work.

Purchase Arbonne Essential Oils here

Household Uses for Tea Tree Oil

My favorite way to use tea tree oil around the house was in the toilet!  I would lift the cistern up and pop a dozen drops of tea tree oil to the water in there.  Every time you flush you get a very faint odour of the tea tree oil, when I couldn't smell it anymore (or a week had passed) I would add more drops.

Now I wasn't doing it for that fragrance by the way, I did it because it really helped to keep the toilet bowl cleaner.  I haven't done this in a while because with our last toilet I couldn't easily access the cistern, but with our newer toilet and Arbonne releasing their tea tree oil I will start this again!

I have also used tea tree oil for removing scuff marks off of lino floors (add a drop to a damp cloth and wipe).  Talking of floors you can also add 1 tsp of tea tree oil to 1 1/5 gallons of water and use that to wash your floors.  My husband's response was that it smelt like a hospital, so the next time I also added a couple of drops of lavender to try and mask the smell.  I no longer do this because my husband really didn't like the smell and sometimes you just accept defeat in some areas!

If you like the smell of tea tree oil you can also add it to your vacuum bag when vacuuming - I tended to only use lavender essential oil (see above re husband's complaint!), but I now have a bagless vacuum so I don't get the lovely smell as I'm cleaning the house!

Dogs & Tea Tree Oil

Now dog's have very sensitive skin so do NOT put tea tree oil directly onto a dog's skin, but it can help if they have sores or are itchy, it just must be diluted.  If your dog is itching a bit then simply pop 1 drop into the shampoo before washing him/her. 

My late dog got a nasty sore on his tummy so I diluted a drop of tea tree oil in a natural base cream (I can't remember the name of it) and rubbed that on it.  It worked really well.  For my current dog I've always used pawpaw ointment (no need to mix anything).

Have You Used Tea Tree Oil?

There are lots of uses for tea tree oil which I haven't even touched on, I'd love to know if you've used it and what your experiences of it have been.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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