LimByLim

Cleaner Cleaning: Quinn’s Pure Castile Organic Soap Review + Giveaway

June 4, 2018 50 Comments

Disclosure: I received product samples to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

I have been on a quest to reduce the toxic chemicals in my home by evaluating my stash of personal care and cleaning supplies. Quinn’s makes an organic castile soap made with certified organic argan, jojoba and hemp oils. It is made with 100% biodegradable ingredients, so it is better for you and for the environment.

This 32 oz. bottle of Quinn’s Unscented Pure Castile Organic Soap is pretty hefty. (I love the cute design of the packaging as well!) There are so many uses for this soap. A handy list is printed right on the box. I am seriously going to keep this picture on my phone and save it as a reference.

I started out by making Multi-Purpose Cleaning Spray by mixing 1/8 cup castile soap with 2 cups of warm water. I poured it into a spray bottle and made a label with my trusty label-maker.

I personally like that this version is unscented. If you prefer scent, you can customize it with your favorite essential oil. I think a citrus essential oil would also be nice for this multi-purpose cleaning spray.

Quinn’s products are sold exclusively on Amazon, and as you can see, I am not the only one giving this soap rave reviews.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Quinn’s has generously agreed to give away a bottle of their castile soap to one of my readers!

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Family Field Trips

Hiking Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve

June 2, 2018 No Comments

This morning we went on a hike in Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve. It was not until after our hike that I found out that it is National Trails Day! Limestone Canyon is part of the 20,000 acres of Irvine Ranch Open Space that the Irvine Company donated to Orange County in 2010.

Public access to Limestone Canyon is limited in that it is only open select days, and online reservations are required. Reservations can be made at Let’s Go Outside!

We parked at the Augustine Staging Area. The parking lot opens at 8 a.m., and it was almost full by 8:10 a.m.! There were hikers, bicyclists, and horse riders. We checked in at a booth and they gave us tags to wear on our hike.

There was a nice patch of wildflowers not too far from the parking lot.

We took some pictures for a Neutrogena campaign along the way.

The kids let out a scream when they saw this guy.

The sun was pretty warm. Where was the morning cloud cover that we have been having the past couple of weeks?

We ended up hiking about 3.8 miles round trip. We did not make it to The Sinks, Orange County’s “miniature Grand Canyon”. Perhaps when the kids are a little older and the weather is cooler!

Food, Giveaways, Sponsored

A Paleo, Keto, Whole30 Approved Snack: Nick’s Sticks Review + Giveaway

May 31, 2018 59 Comments

Disclosure: I received samples in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

For those of you who are Gluten Free or follow Paleo, Keto, or Whole30, I have found another snack for you: Nick’s Sticks! These snack sticks come in four varieties: Free-Range Turkey, Free-Range Turkey Spicy, Grass-fed Beef, and Grass-Fed Beef Spicy. Their tag-line is “All of the Goodness, None of the Garbage”. This means their products do not contain any MSG, nitrates, sugar, soy, antibiotics, hormones, or red dye.

D likes to go to the gym before work and is usually snacking throughout the day at his desk. These are the perfect snack for him to pack for his long days. He liked the Grass-Fed Beef Snack Sticks the best.

They would also be good for school lunches, road trips, hikes, and camping.

How about a giving someone a bouquet of Nick’s Sticks? Think Father’s Day, care package for a college student, or really anyone who appreciates healthy snacks!

Nick’s Sticks has generously allowed me to host a giveaway for a 12 pack!

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Crafts

Washi Wednesday: Upcycle a Coffee Can

May 30, 2018 2 Comments

My collection of washi tape has been slowly growing. There are so many cute designs, so when there is a good sale, it is hard to pass up. Here is an easy project where I put my washi stash to use.

Start with a clean coffee can (or any other cylindrical container). Whenever I buy food, I try to think of alternative uses for the packaging. I recently found this tube of school-themed washi tape at Michael’s for $5!

Peel off the label. Since washi tape is usually not totally opaque, it is a good idea to have a solid background. As you can see here, I did not bother scraping every last piece off and it worked out fine.

Apply the washi tape around the can, starting from the bottom. I overlapped the tape just a little bit so that it completely covers the can. The ridges of the can were a little tricky, but washi tape is very forgiving. If it goes on a little crooked, it is easy to readjust.

This container is the perfect size for pencils. I plan to use it at our homework station. This would also make a nice gift for a teacher!

How do you use washi tape? What containers do you upcycle? I think Pringles cans would be fun, too!

Giveaways, Sponsored

Be Prepared: Keep a First Aid Kit in Your Car + Giveaway

May 29, 2018 39 Comments

me4kidz provided us with a free product in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

As you may know, my son plays soccer and my daughter plays basketball. Although I think the benefits of these sports are great, playing contact sports means there is always a risk for injury. Actually, kids (and adults) may require minor medical attention at any time. Scrapes, splinters, bee stings, and nose bleeds are all things you should be prepared for when you are away from your home. With summer coming up and families spending more time outdoors, it is important to be prepared for such injuries by keeping a first aid kit in your car.

me4kidz sells kid-friendly health and safety products and is a company that I feel good about supporting. It was established in 2004, is family-owned, and embraces Christian values. They employ people with different types of specials needs as a way to “give back”. They are also eco-friendly in that they use recycled plastic and their products are non-toxic and bpa-free.

I received the me4kidz Medi Aid & Wellness Kit for review.

This kit includes 100+ items of your typical first aid accoutrements + 3 sampler essential oils including peppermint, lavender & germ defense, along with an all-natural antibiotic/wound care & pain relief cream…wrapped up in a modern neon green neoprene carry case.

Includes:

(1) Natural wound care ointment
(1) Natural topricin pain relief cream
(3) 3ml essential oils – peppermint, lavender & germ defense (in coconut oil w/ roller)
(2) butterfly bandages
(2) fingertip bandages
(20) 3″ sheer bandages
(20) 1 1/2″ junior bandages
(2) 2″ X 3″ knee & elbow bandage
(1) hypo-allergenic tape roll
(1) gauze roll
(2) latex free exam gloves
(10) nose bleed plugs
(1) splinter remover
(1) plastic tweezers
(8) 2″ x 2″ gauze pads
(6) 3′ X 3″ gauze pads
(15) bzk sting free cleansing wipes
(10) 3″ cotton applicator swabs
(1) instant cold pack – non toxic
(1) soft touch carry case

I like how all of the items fit nicely in the carrying case with plenty of room to spare if you have other items you want to include.

me4kidz products can be found at Target, one of my favorite places to shop! In fact, I spotted their products on the shelf with the first aid products during my most recent Target run:

me4kidz has offered my readers the opportunity to win a Medibuddy First Aid Kit. Each kit contains:

(15) Kid-Friendly Assorted bandages
(1) Knee and Elbow bandage
(10) Junior Bandages
(4) 2” X 2” Gauze Pads (2 Two Packs)
(5) Antiseptic Wipes (sting free)
(2) Antibiotic Ointments
(12) Kid-Friendly Fun Stickers
(1) Reusable and recycled Carry Anywhere Case

This first aid kit would be great to keep in the car, and is also small enough to take along in your bag, backpack, etc. It comes in eight kid-friendly designs and would be a fun idea for stocking stuffers or party favors.

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Goddess Garden: Safe Sunscreen For the Reefs and For Your Body

May 28, 2018 No Comments

You may have heard that on May 1, Hawaii became the first state to pass a bill banning the sale of sunscreen containing chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are believed to harm coral reefs. If we are worried about these chemicals harming the coral reefs, it makes sense that we should also be concerned about these chemicals being applied directly to our skin.

We recently had a chance to try out Goddess Garden Natural Mineral sunscreens. This line contains organic natural ingredients such as zinc and titanium. These natural ingredients simply reflect the sun’s rays instead of being absorbed so they won’t cause skin irritation or enter your bloodstream. Their products do not contain harmful chemicals, so they are reef-safe and safe for your body!

(My daughter had a basketball tournament this weekend, so we shared sunscreen samples with all of the girls.)

If you have kids, you know that they want to go outside or jump in the water as soon as you apply the sunscreen. However, chemical-based sunscreens need to be absorbed by the body for about 20 minutes before they are effective. Goddess Garden sunscreens are effective immediately!

I have tried other natural mineral sunscreens before and noticed they can leave a visible white coating on my skin. I found these application tips from Goddess Garden to be helpful:

• Start with moisturized skin. Goddess Garden’s sunscreen lotions contain nourishing ingredients your skin loves. If your skin is very dry, it can absorb the lotion faster than you can spread the minerals, resulting in a whitening effect.

• Cover small areas of your skin at a time. Because the lotion spreads the minerals, apply mineral sunscreen to small areas at a time so the lotion isn’t absorbed before you get it rubbed on. Applying too much in one place can result in the minerals layering up on your skin’s surface. An even application of mineral sunscreen will provide sheer, yet thorough protection.

• If it’s white, you’re not finished. Minerals aren’t absorbed into your skin or bloodstream, so if the minerals are not spread evenly and dry white on your skin’s surface, they’ll stay white.

• Try the Facial Sunscreen. If you have a darker skin tone, or if you’re still having trouble, you may want to try Goddess Garden’s Facial Sunscreen. It’s made with a unique polished zinc that creates fewer reflection points that contribute to the whitening effect. Minimizing reflections results in a sheerer look, while offering the same protection. While it’s a facial sunscreen, your arms and legs will love the extra benefits.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Family Field Trips, k, n

Playdate Idea in Irvine: Adventure Playground

May 24, 2018 1 Comment

In the summer of 2016, I started a little blog series reviewing local parks. One park that we did not have a chance to visit was Irvine Adventure Playground. Yesterday we invited one of k’s friends and one of n’s friends to join us in checking it out.

This is a public park run by the city of Irvine. Admission is free, but there are employees manning the front desk and you list the names and a phone number for you and your guests.

The posted code of conduct.

The playground structure was unique enough to be fun for these 8-11 year olds.

The boys started to build a house, but they did not get very far.

Overheard: “I feel like a construction worker!”

The concrete slide was a hit with everyone!

Pretending to do the luge.

Bringing a piece of cardboard came in handy once again!

There are also water pumps* and a muddy ditch, but thankfully our group was not too interested in that part! It would be a good idea to bring towels and to wear old clothes if you think your kids would be the type to dive right in! *Water pumps are closed for maintenance every Monday.

Adventure Playground
1 Beech Tree Lane
Irvine, CA 92612
Phone: 949-724-6818

March-October
10 a.m.-6 p.m. (daily)
November-February
10 a.m.-Dusk (daily)

Holiday Closures (all day):
Easter Sunday
Thanksgiving
Christmas Day
New Year’s Day

Early Closures (closing at 3 p.m.):
Independence Day
New Year’s Eve

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My Husband’s Experience With Professional At-Home Teeth Whitening + Giveaway

May 23, 2018 4 Comments

Disclosure: Smile Brilliant provided me with a free kit in exchange for an honest review and I will receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have tried the teeth whitening strips that you can find at the drugstore in the past and have had varying success. I always wondered what difference a professional whitening system could do, but the cost made me think twice. Plus, extra trips to the dentist did not sound appealing.

Smile Brilliant is an at-home teeth whitening system that comes straight from a dental lab through the mail. The company offered me a chance to try it out, but I was not eager to have close-ups of my mouth on the internet. However, my husband D is a good sport, and volunteered to try it out!

This is the kit that was sent to us in the mail.

‘The first step is to make impressions of both your upper and lower teeth using the provided paste and impression trays.

The process was fairly simple with the step-by-step instructions that were provided. I then mailed the molds off to the lab in the provided pre-paid envelope. About a week later, D received his custom-fitted trays. I received an e-mail when the lab received the molds, and a notification when the trays were done and ready to be shipped to our home.

D followed the directions and wore the trays with the gel for a couple of hours for two weeks at night.

Look at the results:

Before… …After!

We were both impressed with the results. D only experienced a little gum/tooth sensitivity after the second application. Other than that, it was a painless and seamless process.

I am happy to announce that my readers can receive 20% off by using this coupon code: limbylim20

Smile Brilliant is also generously providing a giveaway for a $149 Smile Brilliant credit. It is open to USA, UK, Australia and Canadian residents. Visit www.smilebrilliant.com/g/limbylim to enter. Hurry, this giveaway ends May 30, 2018!

Tooth Whitening Gel

Food, Giveaways, Sponsored

Rise of Healthy Junk Food: Rise Buddy Review + Giveaway

May 17, 2018 70 Comments

In my seemingly never-ending quest to find healthier-for-you snacks, I discovered Rise Buddy baked brown rice chips at Expo West.

I appreciate how these chips are oven-baked, and not fried.

They have a very light and crispy texture. Each serving has 170 calories, 3-4 grams of fat, and 1-2 grams of fiber.

These baked rice snacks come in four different flavors:

Sea Salt
Pizza
BBQ
Sour Cream & Onion

My kids’ favorite flavor is the Sour Cream & Onion. I like all of them!

Enjoy 15% Off Rise Buddy on Amazon orders with code 232AKAFC through May 31, 2018!

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We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Rise Buddy has generously agreed to send a 12 ct. variety pack to FIVE of my readers so you can try these snacks out for yourself!

Enter the giveaway below:

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Very Versatile: Dr. Jacobs Naturals Castile Soap Review

May 15, 2018 No Comments

I received free products in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.

In addition to trying to eat food with better-for-you ingredients, our family has been trying out personal hygiene products with “cleaner” ingredients. You have probably heard about the research that shows that our bodies absorb the chemicals that are in typical soaps, facial cleansers, and body washes and that many of them have been shown to be endocrine disrupters or even carcinogenic.

Recently we had the opportunity to try out some products from Dr. Jacobs Naturals. The products we tried were:

Almond Honey Castile Liquid Soap
Lucious Lavender Loofah Exfoliating Castile Soap
Eucalyptus Castile Liquid Soap

My absolute favorite was the Almond Honey Castile Liquid Soap. The fragrance is so nice when used in the shower, or as hand soap.

TIP: An easy, environmentally-friendly and economical way to make your own foaming hand soap is to buy a foaming soap dispenser pump and fill it 4/5 of the way with water. Add a couple of Tablespoons of Dr. Jacobs Castile Liquid Soap, shake it and voila!

Dr. Jacobs Naturals is 100% natural. Dr. Jacobs Naturals castile liquid soap does NOT have any artificial ingredients, synthetic fragrances, colors, parabens, phthalate, propylene glycol, lauryl/laureth sulfates, and triclosan.

I also like that Castile soap is very versatile, as well. It can be used as a household cleaner, laundry detergent, dish soap, and to wash pets!

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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