Saturday, December 20, 2014

Cleaning Tips for Healthy Living

I don't claim to have it all down, but I have learned some useful things and thought I'd share my knowledge. I first started really getting into the "crunchy" lifestyle when I had my first son. I didn't want to clean with harsh chemicals around him, so I began using a vinegar based cleaner. I found this tip on Pinterest ... I use old Spaghetti sauce jars and orange peels, write the date on top and fill it up with white vinegar. Let it "marinate" for two weeks then to use, strain the vinegar. I do a 1:1 ration of vinegar and filtered water. I also add Lemon essential oil. For my bathroom cleaner I do the same thing but add tea tree oil as well . I found cleaner bottles at Walmart, but home depot or Lowes sells them as well. Keep your vinegar/orange marinade going so you'll never run out.
For glass cleaner, I do a 1:2 vinegar to filtered water  with a few drops of Dawn dish soap (not super crunchy, but it works!).
I am also a fan of Melaleuca brand Sol-U-Mel . It smells awesome and isn't toxic.... Great for stains (carpet and clothes), fabric odors and a general purpose cleaner. You can find Sol-U-Mel here.
My other favorite cleaning product is baking soda... You'll see that I use it everywhere! I use it in the bathroom for the tubs and the toilet bowl. And use an old Parmesan container to sprinkle baking soda on the carpets to help with odors. You can add EO's to the mix and it will leave your carpet smelling wonderful!

You want to eliminate as many harsh chemicals in your house as possible, from cleaners, air fresheners, and laundry detergent. Consider adding some indoor plants to help purify the air in each room. So far, I haven't killed my peace lily! :)

Hope these tips help you keep your house clean and healthy as they have helped me! :)

Nelle

Monday, October 20, 2014

A Labor of Love

To start my story, I have to briefly go back to when I was pregnant with N. That pregnancy was so stressful that I can't say I enjoyed much of it. The birth, though I tried to go all natural, was hard, the recovery was painful and it left me with a lot of regrets and disappointment. Now, you're probably thinking, but you had a healthy baby, so who cares? Well...while I am incredibly grateful for a healthy baby, there is more to giving birth than just the baby.
In January, we found out that I was pregnant...quite a surprise, but it came a pretty perfect time. N would be 3 when the baby was born and I was in really good shape. I wanted to really enjoy this pregnancy since I wasn't working full time this time.
I had a gut feeling that if I was going to be as sick as I was with N, then this baby was going to be a boy. Since we found out so soon, I had about two weeks before the "morning sickness" set in which gave me time to make some meals and snacks and freeze them.  It helped out a little!
Other than being fatigued and ridiculously sick for the first 20-22 weeks of this pregnancy, baby and I were healthy...to which I was very thankful for! Once I finally got my appetite back, I drank my weight in green smoothies to replenish all the lost nutrients from being sick and went back to eating normal food which led me to gain 20lbs a month! Lol!
Not working full time helped tremendously...  Around 38 weeks, I was still feeling pretty great. Some SI pain, but I really didn't have too many complaints and wasn't "anxious" to "hurry up and have this baby". I wanted to just enjoy that time and not stress about when the baby was going  to come.
My whole goal for the labor and delivery was to be peaceful...and by Gods grace, it was just that .
My due date was a Sunday, Sept 14th. The Friday before I suggested that we all go for a walk on the beach. We hadn't made it out to the beach that much this summer, so I thought this would probably be our last chance to go before the baby was born. It was so peaceful and beautiful... S even took a few nice pictures of me and my rotundness. I remember just sitting on the beach and breathing in the warm, salty air ...thanking God for this beauty. I felt stress free and had a great sense of tranquillity.
I went to work that weekend and had a few contractions, but nothing special... The weekend before was about the same. Monday was uneventful, I think I went grocery shopping? That night though, I cracked a piece of my molar off thanks to some caramel corn. That did stress me out, but I made an appointment to see a dentist the next evening.
Tuesday, I planned a picnic lunch at the library with N. I wanted him to get some energy out and just spend some good quality time with him. It was just a wonderful day.... A lady we met at the park and I talked and she said as we left "hope you go into labor tonight!". I just smiled and shrugged... "That'd be nice but I'm not holding my breath!"
That evening, I went to the dentist appt and they said it wasn't too bad and just needed to be filled. It was like a weight had been lifted... That was one expense I didn't have to worry about right away.
That night I made some really good soup, Kale, Chicken and white bean and went to bed fairly early.
I woke up at about 12:30, my stomach was killing me...so I headed to the bathroom. I went back to bed , but woke again a few moments later and had to go again. I first thought that that soup must have done a number on my stomach because it felt the same as when I accidentally took a Ducolax. Terrible stomach cramps, many trips to the bathroom and then it felt like my back was seizing up. I nudged Scott after about an hour if that nonsense and said, "umm, I think I'm in labor". I started timing the pains and noticed a little bit of a pattern. At first, I thought I should just try and sleep as much as I could, but that wasn't working. Scott and I got up and started to get things together ...clean the house, do some laundry... Scott took a shower. The rushes came closer and closer together, about 3 mins apart but not more than 30seconds long . I decided to text my mom around 3am. She didn't reply so I called her a while later...We chatted about everything and she said she'd be on her way soon. She told me to go sit down and rest and see if they contractions slowed down. I was getting tired again so I did sit on the couch for a while. The rushes slowed down to 5-8 minutes but they were stronger and longer. I slept in between rushes and Scott played Destiny on the PS4. I had been looking at my Scripture cards and listening to my awesome playlist.  Still feeling so peaceful, meditating on God's word  and picturing the rushes bringing my baby down. I tried several labor positions, walking and squatting... Sitting on the couch, cross legged was comfortable for a while. Laying down was unbearable. At the start of a rush, I would take a deep, cleansing breath and then will my self to release the tension, and magically, the pain of the rush would go away even though I was still contracting. I had practiced the "J" breathing technique from Hypnobirthing videos and it helped so much.
At a quarter til 6am, my mom got to our house...Noah woke up not long after that. I stayed walking around the house, pausing for contractions. I was drinking water, vitamin water and eating some snacks to keep my strength up.
My mom suggested taking a hot shower... My rushes were 3-5 mins apart and getting difficult to talk thru. I let the hot water ruin over my back as I was having wicked back labor. I decided to shave my legs since I was in there and had I silly thought, here I am in labor... And I'm shaving my legs. OK! Lol  But from that, I had to squat a little to reach and it was then that my labor quickly intensified. But the rushes still weren't continually the same, so I figured i had a ways to go still. I had a particularly rough contraction before I got out of the shower, my back seized up and I thought I was going to fall over (there isn't anything to grab ahold in my bath.)... Once I got out I sat for a while and tried to rest. That got uncomfortable so I started pacing again, but my mom noticed I was getting emotional during the height of my rush and suggested calling my midwives office. I had called Labor and Delivery around 2 or 3 am and they had said, come on in when you get closer.  My midwife's MA answered and I remember my mom so calmly told her that my contractions were 2-3 mins apart and we were thinking about heading to the hospital. This was around 9 am. The only thing holding me back from going to the hospital right then was the fact that no one was there to watch N (and I really didn't want to leave him!). Originally my brother J was supposed to come with my mom so he could watch N, but in the rush, my mom forgot to wake him up! We got S's sister to come over and stay with N and then we were off to the hospital.
The drive there was uneventful... Rushes came 5-8 mins from then on. Sitting was not comfortable, but going up to triage was a breeze. They took my vitals, asked me a bunch of questions and then checked to see how much I was dilated. I was an 8 with a bulging bag of waters! I shouted, "Hallelujah, you can't send me home!" :) They admitted me and took me to my room... From then til about noon they were in and out trying to start an IV and draw blood for labs. That was not fun...I had been drinking water throughout labor but all my trips to the restroom had taken its toll and I was a little dehydrated.
I was a little worried that my contractions might not go back to being closer together and they might want to give me Pit, so I tried to walk around but sitting in a squatted position on the edge of the bed was the most comfortable for a while. My mom suggested the shower again when my back was killing me, so I had her help me. She used the hand held shower head to run the hot water over my back. It felt wonderful, but at the same time, my rushes intensified again. I had to hang on tight to the rails and started to feel my body bearing down. It was painful and for the first time I cried out... I felt myself losing the control I had over my breathing and thus the contractions. That was probably around 1 or 2pm. I  think my midwife came  in after that and check on me...she advised me to go with my bodies natural reflex of bearing down. There was so much pressure, I k ew I was close but I couldn't quite get control over my breathing again... I was panting and couldn't get a deep breath to calm down. It was  about then that I asked for some Nubain. My mom and husband told me that I didn't need it, that I could get thru without it (which is what I wanted them to tell me) but I felt like it was going to take a lot longer if I didn't have something to help me control that wicked back labor. My nurse had to check me before she could give me the meds and as she did, *pop* my water broke! I was complete and with my water gone, the pressure/pain was gone...rushes were bearable again. I probably could have gone without the Nubain at that point, but I got about a half dose.... This is when time slowed down. The time stamp on the pictures my mom took when my waters broke was 2:45pm. I sat there, meditating on the Word...and I stopped noticing everyone else. It was just me and God. I praised him and claimed the promises of Jeremiah.
Suddenly I felt like I needed to be on my hands and knees. I had read Ina May Gaskin used this position many times. I buried my face in the pillow and breathed my baby down...ignoring the nurses who were trying to keep the heartbeat and contraction monitors on me. Even before my midwife was encouraging  me to try and push, I was already pushing... Doing the "J" breathing. I remember saying, "He's coming..." I was talking to him at that point, the baby that is. "Come on down baby..." He was still kicking my ribs before I had flipped over.
I tried to remember to push slowly but firmly and not rush it just because it hurt. My midwife was a huge help....and with a few pushes, James Allen came into this world with a squeaky cry at 3:09pm. That's 25 mins from water breaking to baby being born!
I was overjoyed and so thankful for a healthy 8lb 3oz boy and that everything went so amazingly well! Labor was not scary, there was no fear...only a peace that passeth all understanding. I give God all the glory!
N got to meet his brother very soon after that and fell in love with him instantly.
Sorry for being so wordy, but I didn't want to leave out anything! It was an amazing experience and I am in awe of how good God is.
blessings,
Nelle

Monday, June 2, 2014

What's in my #GoVoxBox from Influenster?


 




 

And the award for fastest shipped and largest box goes to....the GO VoxBox!! :) I got an email saying I'd get the box...then two days later, it shows up on my door step! No stalking the mailman at all! :) I was pretty excited to dig into this new box since its theme was health and wellness and that goes with my goals for these next few months (well, life actually.) .

However, there was quite a few things I had no use for.

Like the Playtex Sport Fresh Balance tampons [retail, $3.99-4.99] - Being pregnant, its not something I find myself needing. And to be honest, while I appreciate free products, I just don't feel comfortable in promoting feminine hygiene products on my Facebook, Instagram or even my blog... I mean, it doesn't seem like social media appropriate material. I don't feel comfortable saying much about this product so.... Moving right along.
 

 


 

The Vitamin Shoppe's Next Step Fit N Full shake mix and Next Step Jaxx Shaker Cup. - I got three different flavored packs of shake mix in my box and a very cool looking shaker cup. I was initially concerned because Tonalin CLA was in the mix and I didn't know if I should use it being pregnant. I looked into it and I figured if I wasn't using them as meal replacements (as a dieter would), I'd be fine.
I was really impressed that the mix mixed together so well, thanks in part to the awesome Jaxx Shaker cup! I tried the Swiss Chocolate, which was not chalky but it did not have a flavor that appealed to me. It tasted very medicine/vitamin-y like, with some chocolate flavoring thrown in for good measure. I think it would taste better if it were mixed with something like, Almond Breeze Vanilla, a banana, some peanut butter maybe? What's in the mix itself is really good, and its low in sugar, so using it as a base for a smoothie/shake seems like the best use of this product.
While the Fit N Full shake mix itself was not a hit in my book, I simply love the Jaxx Shaker cup. A very good size cup, dish washer safe and it has a little handle, which I find to be very useful when there is condensation on the cup. It is perfect for my whole fruit/veggie smoothies!






 
Up next, Blue Diamond Fruit Flavored Almonds![retail $3.19 for a 4oz bag] - I received the Blueberry flavored almonds. They are tasty, healthy and a great not melting snack to keep in my purse. However, not for me. I am sensitive to certain nuts, Almonds being one of them. I did try them though, so I can attest to their tastiness! Almost like a candy! My toddler and husband were more than happy to gobble up the rest.  I am always looking for good snacks to keep around the house/in my purse and these delicious Almonds fit the bill.
 
 



















Muller Greek Corner and Corner Yogurts [retail $1.29] -  Due to the fact that yogurt can spoil, they obviously did not send me a sample, but a coupon for a free yogurt. I gave a more in depth review here. At my local Publix, I was sad to see such a small selection of Muller products, as I was hoping to try the Greek Corner yogurt, but was equally happy to try the plain jane Vanilla and Crunchy Granola corner yogurt. Very rich and creamy, a perfect midmorning snack.



PROFOOT Triad Orthotics and Pedi-Rock [retail $10.49 & $8.99, respectively] - I'm already a big fan of PROFOOT products, so I was very happy to receive these two products. You can see my full review here! Both are great products. :)
 
and Last but not Least...
Aqua Spa Relax Collection, Bath Soak [Retail $9.99] - This product goes hand in hand (errr, foot?) with the PROFOOT Pedi-Rock. With a lovely light lavender and chamomile scent, it makes a bath blissful! Feels like you are having a spa treatment at home. :) My tip for this is, don't wait to use it just in the bath tub. When you're taking a shower, sprinkle this in the bottom, plug up the tub and shower on! You can smell the relaxing lavender in the shower steam and your feet get a little extra pampering.
I had never heard of this company and unfortunately there isn't yet a review on the EWG's Skin Deep website yet, so I don't know where this lands on their scale. Overall though, I would say I really like the Bath Soak!
Ok, so I think that is everything in my Go VoxBox! Again, I am so glad to have been able to get these products and test them out, so Thanks Influenster! :) I have a cuddly toddler I need to attend to, so I will see ya next post. Lata!
 
*Nellers*
 All of these items were received compliments of Influenster for testing purposes.

Saturday, May 31, 2014

#GoProFoot Fancy!

I don't make any attempts to hide my frugality, so this may not be quite a shocker to you...I use insoles in my sneakers to extend the life of the shoes. My favorite brand has been ProFoot and they always came in a full length, you'd trim the excess to fit your shoe. I have been using them for about six years now (well, not the same pair... Lol I'm not that cheap).   I was really sad when Walmart seemed to stop carrying them.
So when I received ProFoot's Triad Orthotic in my Go VoxBox from Influenster, I was quite happy to get to try them. They also sent along the ProFoot Pedi Rock.
 

All week I have been using the ProFoot Pedi Rock in the shower. Its handle season here in Florida (really, when is it not?), so I try to make sure I have some sort of pumice stone around to keep my heels looking halfway decent. The Pedi Rock is a very interesting design because much larger than most pumice stones I've used, also it is soft! You can use it wet or dry, but since I normally do my feet towards the end of my shower, I have mostly just used it wet. However, I have noticed that the abrasive that they use is starting to come off, leaving bare spots on the "rock". The shape of the PediRock makes it easy to hold in the shower, but I think that using it dry might extend the life of the rock. I could have just gotten a defective one, so I plan on contacting ProFoot about the problem I had. Overall though, I love the idea of this product and it did a great job of sloughing of dead skin on my feet.

Moving on to the  Triad Orthotics! I initially had tucked them in my Asics and took a few long walks in the neighborhood, but I knew the real test would be a long day of working on my feet. This morning I slipped them into my work Saucony's and went off to the job. Eight hours later, I can honestly say they made my feet much less sore, very comfortable on my heels and arches. My only minor complaint is that they aren't just a little longer. They hit the pad of my foot a little funny, so sometimes it feels like there is a wrinkle in my sock. I will definitely be keeping the ProFoot Triad Orthotics in my work shoes and will be buying another pair for my running shoes! Very happy with this product and so glad to have gotten the opportunity to try them.  Thanks Influenster! ♥
Ciao,
Nellers

Both items were received compliments of Influenster for testing purposes.

Monday, May 26, 2014

#MullerQuaker Tastiness!

Hey ya'll!
Just wanted to share this tasty treat that I got to try from my #GoVoxBox compliments, of course, from Influenster!
 

 
 


Every time I go grocery shopping, I come home with a ton of good but I am starving and don't feel like wanting for something to cook. This last time I had my #MullerQuaker yogurt coupon with me, so I redeemed that for a Vanilla & crunchy granola corner yogurt from Müller! :) Simple, sweet flavors reminded me when I was a kid and my mom would make me parfaits. The corner is neat because it keeps the granola crunchy until you are read to dump it into the creamy vanilla yogurt! Such a great and convienent snack that keeps you from ravaging the chips that aren't so good for you. ;)
Oh and its toddler approved! N would have ate it all by himself if I let him (sharing is caring!! Haha).
Ciao
nellers
 
(This product was compliments of Influenster for testing purposes.)

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Go VoxBox Unboxing video!

Candid Unboxing of the #GoVoxBox: http://youtu.be/Gw1J8tTw-ZY

Here is a look inside the awesome GoVoxBox  that I received compliments of Influenster! I will be doing a blog post soon with reviews on all the products. Stay tuned!

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Kinder Words

Ever have a case of word vomit? Perhaps, verbal diarrhea? It can strike even the nicest of people (I'm guessing, I don't know.). With a toddler who has an extensive vocabulary running around, I have to be careful of what I say. Can't say things I don't want repeated... simple as "Stupid" or "Oh Crap!". I don't like hearing it from his mouth, so I *try* to avoid saying it. However, there is a whole other level of things I don't want to hear come from his mouth. Like, my bad attitude .... and apparently, I'm not overly kind with my words on a daily basis.
Let's face it... husbands can be real annoying. :) Don't get me wrong, I love the man. But sometimes he likes to push my buttons and make me mad (because I suppose its funny?) and I find myself saying things like, "You know, I don't like you very much right now". Well, guess who is now telling people that he doesn't like them whenever he gets frustrated with someone? Yeah... the toddler. Then I had to explain to him its not nice to say things like that just because he didn't get his way... and I was the genius that inadvertently taught him it in the first place. He needs to see me being respectful towards my husband (and anybody else) so that he can learn how to do the same.
There are things my child is going to pick up, habits, mannerism, etc... but some of them I need to take responsibility for and adjust my way of doing/saying things. There are plenty of verses in the Bible that speak  about the damage the tongue can do. I think I am going to read up on them and ask God to help me to learn to speak kinder words.

Ephesians 4:32 - And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.


Ciao!

Friday, May 9, 2014

Fit Pregnancy

When I was pregnant with my first son,  I was sick, sick, sick for a full 15-20 weeks. This time, no change! I found out I was pregnant so soon that I was able to have a week or two before it hit me. Then hit me it did...  And I got the flu! :/ So anyhoo, long story short, I was miserable, sick and pretty much useless for the same amount of time I was with N.
But now, at almost 22 weeks, I am feeling SO much better.  Back to getting working out, making whole food smoothies and just feeling like a normal, healthy person! I am intending not to gain 60lbs like last time, so I'm trying to keep healthy snack options in the house. I still eat some junk...Sam's club cookies! :) Because baby needs cookies.

I have noticed that I'm not as stressed out about having to stay within a certain calorie goal. Because I'm not restricting my calories, I feel like I can just focus on eating right, working out and being in a good head space. Not pregnant, I still try not to stress about going "over" in my calories for the day...it's always on my mind, but I don't freak out about. That's counterproductive.

My workouts right now consist of up to 20 mins on the Elliptical (I don't push it, just go at my own pace),  10-15 mins of free weights focusing on arms, shoulders and back and yoga/Pilate's (to keep me limber!). Oh and squats. Always with the squats. ;)
I don't work out on days I am doing a lot of yard work...the point is to stay active and keep muscle mass (or regain it), not over exert myself.
I haven't been going for walks with N as much lately because my days seem to keep getting busier. Walking is a great way to get some exercise in and its good for any fitness level.

I am so happy to be able to drink water again! I was so sick at one point I was only drinking watered down Powerade. Plain water made me sicker. :/ Now I'm back to drinking a ton of water... And subsequently, peeing every half hour! Haha!
Anyhoo... I'm going to try to update more often! I just got a notice saying I'm getting another awesome Voxbox from Influenster, so be on the lookout for reviews soon. :) It will be a health and fitness related box, so I'm pretty psyched about it!

Till then!
Nelle

Monday, March 10, 2014

Let's Talk about Boots.

Not the leather, pleather or suede kind but the clay kind that sucks the oil out of your skin. :)

I received Boots Botanics Ionic Clay Mask, Shine Away in my J'Adore Voxbox from Influenster and it is without a doubt my favorite thing in the box. Yes, even above the chocolate. I'm that serious!
Now, when you open the product hold the bottle so the hole is facing you, and don't squeeze. It is very liquidy ... I was expecting it to be really thick like previous masks I've had. Wrong-o. I got product everywhere! LOL Also, give it a little shake (Lid ON of course) before you use it too.

I used my fingers to apply it, but I think it would be fun to use a brush too. Very spa like. Oh and sidenote, it helps to have Michael Buble on in the background. ;) The mask dries pretty quickly, leaving a lovely shade of grey, green on your face. Then what happen next is what impressed me. I saw that the mask dried, then I looked in the mirror and saw all these pin sized wet spots, on my nose, cheeks and forehead. It was actually pulling all that junk out of my pores!!

I am definitely a big fan of this product now. I love that it is made without parabens. Leaves my skin feeling fantastic and I can see an improvement in my pores/skin tone already after a few uses.
So, if you get a chance or are looking for a new mask, this is definitely one you should try. :)


Tata for now!
Nellers



J'Adore Voxbox 2014

J'Adore VoxBox Overview and First Impressions!


Hey y'all! I was fortunate enough to be selected for an amazing J'Adore VoxBox....I eagerly awaited (ok, so I cyberstalked the mailman) the beloved box. Sadly, I am super sick and had no energy to do an actual unboxing video for this box, but I'll try to whip up something soon. I wanted to go ahead and give ya'll a peek at what was in this voxbox.

First thing I noticed was a huge bag of Hershey Kisses, Milk Chocolates (the 18.5oz bag!) -- Retail $5.29. These were immediately opened and enjoyed by everyone in my family. The 2 yr old keeps finding my hiding place for the remainder of them... naughty little booger. :) They work wonderfully as potty training incentives. As well as a treat for myself when potty training stresses me out! ;)


The Red Rose Simply Indulgent Teas -- Retail $4.49 20 ct --  were what I noticed next. Three Creme Caramel and one decaf Lemon Chiffon tea bags, each with $1 coupons attached. They also came with a card that had another coupon on it for $2 off Red Rose teas! Being a tea lover, I was very happy to try them. Incredibly tasty and smooth. Literally tasted like dessert!



Next, I picked up Boots Botanics, Ionic Clay Mask Shine Away -- Retail $9.99. I LOVE spa masks, so this made me super happy. I will be doing a dedicated blog post about this fantastic stuff, so I'll save all the good stuff for later. But let me say this, if you have clogged pores or oily skin: This is for you!


The next two things, I am having a hard time trying to figure out how and when I'm going to try them out. The Frizz Ease 3-Day Straight Flat Iron Spray -- Retail $9.99, will be easier for me to use since it's a spray and simple to use. But I haven't been straightening my hair lately... really embracing my curls/waves. BUT I will make an exception if this product really does work for 3 days! :) The less I have to do to my hair, the better! -- UPDATE -- I used it over the weekend and YES. I love how incredibly smooth my hair was! I can't wait to see how it does in 100% humidity since Spring is now upon us. :)

The KISS Looks So Natural Lashes -- Retail $3.99 , seems a little daunting. I've never done anything with fake lashes, so I'm nervous about trying them. It will make for some awesome selfies though. :)

The Last product that was in my box was something to share with my husband. Vaseline Men Spray Lotion --  Retail $7.99, was a very interesting product! I love the idea of a spray on lotion. My husband has used it a handful a times, but my son is super thrilled about using it and smelling "like a man". And yes... it is very manly smelling indeed.




So that's all for now! I am so thankful to have the opportunity to test out all these products for free, so Thanks Influenster!! :) It's always fun to try new things and give my honest opinion. If you are interested in doing the same, become an Influenster too at Influenster.com . :)

TaTa, Nellers

Friday, January 3, 2014

Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Review




So I gave ya'll a little review of the Not Your Mother's Clean Freak dry shampoo that I received from Influenster a while ago, but today I wanted to a little more in-depth now that I have been using it for a while.

   We've already talked about my shampooing habits, so you should know that I don't wash my hair but two times a week. I find that I like to use NYM's Clean Freak on days when I just rinse my hair (like after a workout). I will let my hair air dry, then use the product to freshen it up if there seems to be a but of shine going on. Of course, I also use this to prolong a blow out! It's great for that! I can easily go 3 days with a little help from this stuff.

   At first, I figured the price would be too much for me but I looked up on Ulta's website and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was just $5.99 for a 7 ounce can. Definitely a price I feel comfortable with paying. The small 1.6oz can that I am using  has lasted me all month and it still feels like I have quite a bit left in there. I wouldn't doubt a 7oz can would last me a good while!

   Comparing the NYM's Clean Freak to the Suave Keratin Dry Shampoo that I had used before, I would say that the NYM's far exceeds my expectations. The first difference I noticed was the smell. The Suave brand was very overpowering but Clean Freak was a slight lemon scent that didn't bother me at all. The consistency of the NYM's Clean Freak was light, refreshing feel... No grimy-ness after a while either! It sprayed out evenly and hasn't clogged up on me so far.


   So all in all, I like Not Your Mother's Clean Freak! I look forward to trying more of their products. If you are wondering, it received a 6 on the EWG's Skin Deep website. So it is on the higher side, but not terribly so.

Thanks to Influenster for giving me the opportunity to review this product!

Ciao for now!

Nellers