Product Reviews | Saved By Grace

Neutrogena Naturals

May 14, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

I am always looking for new ways to love my skin again. As I have said before, my skin has been “misbehaving” since I hit my thirties and until now, I didn’t have a need for lengthy skin cleanser systems because I was very lucky and blessed with skin that was very nice, even toned and I rarely had a breakout. Yes, even as a teenager. When I would get a breakout, it was usually around my menstrual cycle and it was not good, but it wasn’t cystic acne.

Since I hit my thirties, my skin has been hating on me. Maybe it is the years of just using soap and water that are catching up with me or maybe it is just hormonal shifts, but breakouts happen frequently and my skin is no longer smooth or even-toned.

I was happy to be sent a few of the new products from the Neutrogena Naturals line to try out on my naughty skin.

I was sent Acne Spot Treatment, Acne Cream Cleanser and Acne Foaming Scrub.

What is different about Neutrogena’s Naturals collection?

Neutrogena’s Naturals collection is 93% Plant derived. This means that it contains more natural ingredients than the typical formula.

Pros:

I like that the formula contains more natural ingredients than the typical acne formulas. They have a great citrus scent and this is nicely invigorating. The cream cleanser lathers up nicely and I found a small bit of smoothing out of skin from the scrub.

Cons:

The first thing I noticed was burning when I applied the cream cleanser. It seemed to intensify as it stayed on my skin longer and even lingered after I washed it off. It was almost painful. I saw that my face got red and blotchy after. The Acne Spot Treatment worked fast. I found that it cleared up a forming pimple in less than 2 days, however, it dried out the skin, leaving flakiness in it’s path.

Verdict:

I would not recommend this line to those that have sensitive skin. I found that although it cleaned well, it irritated also.

To purchase:

Please check out the full line of products on the Neutrogena website and also use the coupon for $1 off Neutrogena Naturals both online and in store.

Filed Under: Beauty, Product Reviews Tagged With: beauty, Product Reviews

Find Your Inspiration with The Gro Project {Tutorial}

May 6, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

This post brought to you by Miracle-Gro. All opinions are 100% mine.

Being that spring is still barely starting in Montana, I am getting antsy to start my gardening! I love the smell of soil, the cool water on my fingertips and just being like a kid again and playing in the dirt! The ground is softer outside, but I worry about planting things yet as we still have snow occasionally, so I found inspiration in Miracle-Gro’s, “The Grow Project” and did an indoor terrarium!

This terrarium took me very little time, but allowed some creative edge and dirt digging to commence and that made me one happy woman!

What is The Gro Project?

Miracle Gro wants you to find inspiration and “roll up your sleeves” to get started on your gardening projects, indoor and out! I find gardening very relaxing and it allows me to make living works of art! That’s what The Gro Project is all about!

Watch this video and find out what inspiration you can get by joining the movement!

Here’s how I made my mark on my spring gardening with this simple terrarium:

You will need:

Moisture Control Potting Mix
A clean glass container-this can be any size. I used a giant brandy snifter I got at Walmart (where you can find plenty of Miracle Grow products, by the way!)
Plants of your choice-use indoor plants like succulents, cacti and even small indoor foliage
Craft rocks or glass rocks
Small garden statues or decorations

Optional: Moss or Shake’n Feed All Purpose Plant Food from Miracle-Gro

1. Start by washing your container and throroughly drying it. You don’t want it to be wet when you add the Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix. The Moisture Control Potting mix is important because you don’t want too much or not enough moisture in the kinds of plants you will be using for this project and since it will have no drain holes in the bottom, it is vital you keep the moisture at optimal levels.

2. Add a small amount, about an inch of Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting mix to the bottom of your container. I used a soup ladle for this as it helped me make less mess and allowed me to pat it down nicely.

3. When you have enough soil in the bottom of your container, gently add your choice of plants. I used some indoor foliage as I thought it kind of looked like a mini-palm tree.

4. Add enough soil around the roots of the plant to make it stable.

5. This is the fun part! Add your decorations and rocks in any way you choose. I am hoping to get some sparkly gems to ad to it down the line. Don’t you just love that mushroom?

6. Gently water it. Not too much, but enough to moisten the soil. How often you water will depend on the plants chosen.

Looking for more inspiration and fun garden projects? Make sure you check out more from The Gro Project on Miracle Gro’s facebook page and join the movement! Also, for more projects, take a look at Miracle Gro’s Pinterest boards!

Having trouble this season or just need some advice? Check out the Miracle-Gro website for tips!

Filed Under: Crafts & DIY, Green Living, Product Reviews Tagged With: DIY, Green Living, Product Reviews

Chicken Avocado Quesadillas

May 5, 2024 By Christine 2 Comments

Just because Cinco De Mayo was yesterday, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy delicious Latin style foods all month, heck, all year long!

I made a delicious quesadilla yesterday for my family to enjoy on the holiday. I want to share this with my readers and tell you about the wonderful products Goya has to help you make healthy and hearty Latin-infused meals!

To make Chicken Avocado Quesadillas, you will need:

Goya Organic Low Sodium Black Beans (1 can)
Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 small tomatoes
2 Ripe Avocados
2 Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded
Large Flour Tortillas
1 small tub of Low Fat Sour Cream
1 Can Enchilada Sauce
Hot sauce
Chilli Powder
Cheese Slices

1. Start by peeling and slicing avocados. One trick to this is to cut the avocado all the way around length-wise. Then twist, gently.

When you have the fruit in halves, take a chef’s knife and stick it into the pit. Gently pull the pit out and slide it the knife off. Please be careful in this step!

2. Dice tomatoes.

3. Empty Goya Organic Low Sodium Black Beans into a strainer and rinse off.

4. To make the spicy sour cream, first add it to a bowl. Pour in about half a can of enchilada sauce. Mix.

Add a teaspoon of chilli powder and a couple drops of hot sauce. Mix again.

5. Heat skillet on medium-high. Add a splash of Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

6. Spread a small amount of spicy sour cream onto one half of a tortilla.

7. Add a couple slices of avocado.

8. Top with shredded Chicken and a small handful of Goya Organic Low Sodium Black Beans. Add 2 cheese slices.

9. Fold over and gently place in skillet.

10. Flip after about 1 minute.

When cheese is melted, you are ready to enjoy! Top with more spicy sour cream and tomatoes!

Goya makes it so easy to make Latin-inspired meals! Hungry for more? Goya has released a new bilingual MyPlate Cookbook that features easy to follow, delicious meals anyone can make and your family is sure to enjoy! Make sure you check out Goya’s wonderful line of products from beans, to sauces and even frozen vegetables.

Follow Goya on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook for more tasty recipes with Latin flare!

Want a head start on making this recipe or the other recipes in the new Goya bilingual MyPlate cookbook? Click here to enter to win a Goya prize pack!

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes, Food, Giveaways, Health, Lunch Recipes, Product Reviews, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: food, health, Product Reviews, Recipes

Adding a Dash of Spice to Your Dishes with Beaverton Foods

May 3, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

Condiments are almost an essential part of any family’s pantry and fridge. There are so many to choose from these days and it can be hard to know which one is the best tasting and highest quality without spending a small fortune. Beavertoon foods, an Oregon based company, has always been one of my top favorites!

I have used their Sweet n Spicy Mustard for years in my Tuna salad recipe. Beaver brand (Beaverton foods) has some new tasty, zingy condiments for you to try! I was sent Beaver Hickory Bacon Mustard, Imglehoffer Seafood Cocktail Sauce, Inglehoffer Applewood Smoked Bacon Mustard and Pacific Farms Wasabi to try out.

I love playing with condiments and one of my favorite ways to try them is on my homemade Chicken strips. I made a sampling of them in bowls for my family to try. Oddly enough, a favorite was the cocktail sauce. I have always thought of cocktail sauce as a condiment for fish and seafood, but it really is pretty good on chicken!

We had left overs of our chicken strips and I made this delicious chicken sandwich the next day:

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Bacon Sandwiches:

Toasted Bread
Chicken strips
Beaver Brand Hickory Bacon Mustard or Inglehoffer Brand Applewood Smoked Bacon Mustard
Swiss Cheese
Ham slices

Spread mustard on both sides of the bread. Top with Swiss cheese and chicken strips (you ca either heat them or have them cold-if they have already been cooked). Delicious!

Pros:

These condiments are packed with flavor! I loved how the wasabi was zippy but not overly hot, as long as you don’t get carried away. As I mentioned, we loved the cocktail sauce and the mustards were awesome on our sandwiches the next day!

Cons:

If you are not a fan of spicy stuff, the wasabi can be a bit over-powering. However, just use it sparingly and there shouldn’t be a problem.

Verdict:

As always, I highly recommend Beaverton Foods’ Beaver Brand and Inglehoffer. They surpass my standards of quality and value. I loved looking at the website as I can see they have many more delicious flavors available to try that I had never seen before.

To purchase:

You can find many of your favorite Beaverton foods brands at local and chain supermarkets as well as order online on their website.

Filed Under: Food, Product Reviews, Recipes Tagged With: food, Product Reviews, Recipes

Mother’s Day Gift Guide: The Original Green Pan

May 3, 2024 By Christine 17 Comments

Being a person who has a passion for cooking and training in a professional kitchen, I am kind of a harsh critic when it comes to kitchenware. My knives are top of the line professional, always sharp and full tang. I have gadgets that many people do not have. I take great pride in owning the best of the best and I am so glad to give my personal seal of approval to the Original Green Pan!

What makes the Original Green Pan so amazing?

First, it is heavy duty. You can tell the quality of a pan by it’s weight. This pan is heavy and quality constructed with a heat resistant handle held on by two screws for better durability. Second, it has an amazing Thermolon ceramic coating on the inside that makes cooking and cleaning not only a breeze, but also makes cooking healthier because it does not need a lot of added oils to keep food from sticking. I made chicken the other night in it and used absolutely no oil in the pan. The chicken tasted delicious and not a single bit of sticking or scorching occurred!

Want to see it’s non-stick abilities in action? Check out how effortlessly I was able to move food around the pan with no oils and how easy it is to clean!

Why is the Original Green Pan called “green”?

The Original Green Pan is green because it is is made in environmentally friendly practices such as the use of no PFOA and 60% less CO2 admissions during production. The cast steel handles and alluminum baseare upcycled. Even the packing material used is post-consumer paper with bleach free processes.

I recommend this as a Mother’s Day gift she will love for years and years!

Pros:

Environmentally friendly production and packing [processes are awesome! I love to see a company taking steps to sustainability! I am absolutely in love with the Thermelon coating and its non-sticking capabilities. This will allow me to make healthier meals for my family with ease.

Cons:

The prices of these pans can be a bit more than the average pan, but I cannot stress enough how spending more on quality kitchenware will be worth it in the long run. You will have longer lasting products and tools and end up spending less that if you buy cheaper and replace over time. The pans themselves are far cheaper than professional kitchenware with just as high of quality as you would expect.

Verdict:

I urge you to buy the Original Green Pan for years and years of healthy eating and effortless cooking!

To Purchase:

You can find the Original Green Pan at Bed, Bath and Beyond locations as well as Amazon.com, Macy’s and Target and other fine retailers. Check out the “Where to buy” page on the website for more locations near you. The 10 inch skillet I tested retails near $39.99

Filed Under: Food, Green Living, Health, Product Reviews Tagged With: Green Living, health, Product Reviews

Mother’s Day Gift Guide: American Country Handcrafted Furniture

May 2, 2024 By Christine 1 Comment

In the day of many things being mass-produced it is always refreshing to find a company that does it “the old fashioned way” and hand crafts their products. American Country does just that.

American Country is a husband/wife team that creates stunning and sturdy handcrafted furniture to decorate and add amazing style to your home. Each product is made with steady craftsmanship in a wood shop and hand painted. The products are crafted with pine and although this may sound silly, one of the first things I did when I got mine, was smell it. It had an amazing scent that immediately made me feel that this product was high quality and would be a long lasting heirloom!

American Country allowed me to get a Family Sign made with the colors and finish of my choice. I was awed by how beautifully it matched my decor in my living room. The sign is heavy and sturdy and you could really see the love and quality craftsmanship put into it. It is a wonderful conversation piece! Now, I just need to figure out where I like it best!

American Country not only makes these beautiful Family Signs, but also benches, cabinets and shelving. They have been features three times in Country Sampler Magazine! Make sure you check out their Pinterest account for a quick view of some amazing handcrafted furniture!

I recommend this company as a wonderful gift idea for moms this Mother’s day! They have an etsy shop as well for those of you that are etsy-addicts like myself!

Pros:

The pieces are absolutely stunning and the turnaround time is fantastic! All the items sold are made to order, you pick the finish and colors and you get a custom piece just for you!

Cons:

I do wish there were some more colors to choose from, but I am very happy with how beautifully the colors I chose turned out!

Verdict:

If you are looking for authentically handcrafted furniture with amazing quality, American Country is your place to shop!

To Purchase:

Head over to the American Country website and order your own Family Sign or another wonderful product from their line. I bet you will be just as happy as I was! The Family sign is hand crafted and hand painted and it was $49.99. They ship to the 48 Continental US states and Canada. Follow American Country on Facebook as well for updates, new products and beautiful furniture!

Filed Under: Family, Homekeeping, Product Reviews Tagged With: Family, Product Reviews

Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Pearls from Pearl Paradise {Review + Giveaway}

May 1, 2024 By Christine 21 Comments

There are some gifts that are timeless and in my opinion, pearls are one of those gifts. They can be heirlooms and are perfect for many occasions from casual to weddings.

I had never owned a set of genuine freshwater pearls until I was sent an absolutely stunning set from Pearl Paradise, the leading freshwater pearl website online. I chose a set of 7.5-8.0 mm black pearls on an 18 inch strand with a white gold clasp. They looked beautiful online but even more gorgeous in person!

You may be wondering, what is a Freshwater Pearl?

Freshwater pearls differ from salt water pearls in that they are more plentiful, grow in a wide variety of colors from classic off white to pastel shades and are more versatile. Freshwater pearls are often regarded as being lower quality but with Pearl Paradise, they offer their freshadama collection with the highest quality of nearly perfect to perfect freshwater pearls on the market.

Are pearls expensive?

The pearls at Pearl Paradise are at awesome prices you won’t find elsewhere. The strand I got retails for $690.00 but is sold on Pearl Paradise for an amazing price of $139.00!

Pros:

Pearls from Pearl Paradise are of the highest quality. I was literally blown away at their luster and quality! I wish the pictures I took really showed off how beautiful they truly are! The pearls came with a pearl care guide, a beautiful box to store them in, a certificated of appraisal and polishing cloth. I highly recommend these absolutely stunning pearls to give your mom this Mother’s day. She will be overjoyed!

Cons:

The strand could have been a little longer in length. I got the 18 inch strand, but I wish there was a longer length.

Verdict:

Pearl Paradise is highly recommended by Saved By Grace!

To Purchase:

Check out the Pearl Paradise website and make sure you use code MOM2013 to get 10% off your order!

Giveaway:

Pearl Paradise has generously offered to allow one reader of Saved By Grace a Pearl necklace like mine in the color of their choice: pink/peach, black, lavender and multicolor! This is an over $100 value!

Giveaway is open to US residents, 18+ and runs from 5/01-5/10/2013

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Filed Under: Fashion, Giveaways, Product Reviews Tagged With: Fashion, giveaways, Product Reviews

Fresher, Cleaner Clothes with Purex’s Natural Elements!

April 30, 2024 By Christine 19 Comments

One thing I love about detergents for cleaning is the awesome smell! I am the crazy lady in the store opening up the bottles sniffing each one and trying to decide which to pick. Purex’s Natural Elements offer me a great clean and a great “sniff”!

This is what you will often see if you find me in the detergent aisles of any stores!

As someone who is forced to do my laundry at the laundry mat, I often have run into the problem of ending up with musty smelling clothes from tireless usage of the public washers. Purex’s Natural Elements left my clothing smelling amazing, with no musty smell and cleaned the toughest stains out of my husband’s work clothes. I was surprised by the way it was able to get the grease spots out of his work shirts and keep them bright and red as they should be!

What’s different about Purex’s Natural Elements?

Purex’s Natural Elements uses natural plant extracts to get that amazing scent. I tried the “Tropical Splash” (one of my favorite scents of all time!). Not only does it provide a great natural scent, but it is also good for sensitive skin. We have two sensitive skin people here; my daughter, who suffers from eczema flair-ups and my husband who has trouble with even deodorant. Neither one of them experienced a reaction after wearing clothing cleaned with Purex’s Natural Elements.

Great, but does it clean well?

Yes! As I said, it got the grease spots out of my husband’s work shirts and even cleared up some ketchup stains on my daughter’s shirt.

Awesome! But I am trying to live greener. Is Purex’s Natural Elements good for the environment?

Absolutely! Purex’s Natural Elements is biodegradable to help promote greener cleaning!

Purex sent me 3 coupons for FREE full sized products. I want to give them away to my readers! So, three lucky readers will win a coupon so you can try this yourself! I promise you will like what you smell. After all, I am the crazy lady you see in the aisles sniffing the detergents, so I am a self-professed “expert”.

Giveaway starts 4/30 and runs until 5/5. Open to US residents, 18+ Good luck!

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Filed Under: Giveaways, Green Living, Homekeeping, Product Reviews Tagged With: Cleaning, Family, giveaways, Green Living, Product Reviews

RewardTAB Wants to Reward You!

April 30, 2024 By Christine 14 Comments

I admit that I have been slow to pick up on shopping online**. I used to worry that I would purchase something online, and when I got it, I wouldn’t like it (or in the case of clothes, it wouldn’t fit right) and it would be such a hassle to return it. I have been shopping online for a while now, and hardly ever come across that issue and when I have had to return things, they have been virtually hassle free. RewardTAB is a new site that allows me to really save on my online shopping with gift cards.

What is RewardTAB?

RewardTAB is a site where you can buy gift cards online to some of the most popular stores and get rewarded for the gift cards you buy. You may be wondering how this ties into online shopping. RewardTAB gift cards are e-gift cards that can be used at the store you purchase them from. RewardTAB gives you rewards on your gift card purchases.

How do I maximize my saving with RewardTAB and why should I buy an e-gift card there first?

When you want to shop online at say, The Children’s Place, I recommend stopping at RewardTAB and seeing if they have an e-gift card available at that store first. Think of it as a “pre-shopping destination”. You can not only pick up an e-gift card at the store you are shopping at, but you will also get rewarded for buying one on RewardTAB that can help you earn FREE e-gift cards for future shopping. Pair your gift cards with a sale, and your free gift cards through RewardTAB’s rewards, you get maximum savings at your favorite stores!

How do rewards on RewardTAB work?

By purchasing an e-gift card on RewardTAB, you gain “tabs” that can be used to redeem for free gift cards on the RewardTAB site. For instance, I got an e-gift card that was $25 and it gave me 125 tabs to put towards a free gift card in the future.

Yeah, but what is the Catch? Does it take a lot of these tabs to get a free gift card?

No! That is the awesome part. If you are already shopping online at your favorite stores, and you buy e-gift cards from RewardTAB first, in no time you will have enough tabs to redeem for a free gift card! It only takes 1,000 tabs to get a $10 BONUS to use on RewardTAB! And, if you join now, you get 500 BONUS TABS! Just for joining, you are already halfway to that 1,000 tabs! It is so easy to earn more tabs!

Can I buy cards as gifts?

Sure you can! You will be sent your e-giftcard in as little as 24 hours (I actually got mine sooner!) and you can gift it at that time and YOU get to keep the tabs you earned from the purchase! This is perfect for gifting those you love who live far away!

RewardTAB is constantly adding new stores to their gift cards available. Right now, I saw American Eagle, Build A Bear Workshop, Gap, Best Buy and even Chilli’s. You can buy gift cards for clothing, toys, health and beauty, restaurants, department stores and even traveling!

I loved that the sign up process was super easy. Just head on over the RewardTAB and claim your free 500 tabs, now! Hurry! Offer for free tabs expires May 6th!* Purchasing a gift card is also as simple as a couple clicks! Start shopping for gift cards from your favorite stores! You are going to spend the money at them anyways, right? You might as well get rewarded for it!

*500 tabs bonus is rewarded when first purchase of a gift card is made.

**Since I love shopping, RewardTAB compensated me for this post.

GIVEAWAY! Enter to win $25 to use on RewardTAB to buy the gift card of your choice! Giveaway is open worldwide, but prize will be awarded in USD. Runs 4/30/13-5/14/13, open to those 18+.

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Filed Under: Frugal Living, Giveaways Tagged With: Frugal living, gifts, giveaways, Product Reviews

Optics Lab {Review}

April 20, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

With allergy season in full swing in many parts of the US, that means dry eyes for many people. As a contact lens wearer on occasion, it can mean my eye feel like they need to be dug out with a spoon. (Sorry to be so graphic, but, hey, it’s how they really feel!)

I was sent several products from Optics Lab to try out and test. Optics Lab creates products with you comfort and vision in mind including:

OcuFresh Eye Wash
OcuSave Eye Vitamins
Eye-Cept Contact Lens re-wetting drops
MiniDrops eye lubricant

I found myself needing these drops a couple times recently. I have a feeling they will come in handy when the fire season gears up in fall as well. Each product from Optics Labs is useful for different issues that can arise from the eyes. The OcuFresh Eye Wash is made for getting rd of small irritants such as smoke or pollen in your eye, OcuSave Eye Vitamins can save your eyes from future problems like cataracts, Eye-Cept re-wetting drops really come in handy for the contact wearer and MiniDrops eye lubricant is great for those that suffer from issues such as chronic dry eye.

Pros:

The OcuSave Eye Vitamins were small soft-gels that were easy to swallow. I take a lot of vitamins a day, so having a small soft-gel to add in was great. Some of the pills I take are huge! I cannot speak for the effectiveness of them as I was only sent a 30-day supply. I used the OcuFresh Eye wash when I was attempting to BBQ on a warm day here and smoke got in my eye. They did not burn my eyes and I immediately noticed comfort again. I followed up with the MiniDrops to lubricate my eye again. Both products worked well and I am happy they are safe for the entire family. I rarely wear contacts as I find they bother my eyes with dryness and irritation. To test out the Eye-Cept drops, I placed my hope in them and went to work with contacts in. Towards the end of my shift, my eyes started to get irritated and itchy. I used the drops and found they helped take care of the problem almost instantly.

Cons:

I really see no cons to these products other than I was not able to see any benefits to the vitamins since I was given a small amount.

Verdict:

These are a must have for the summer! The drops are sanitary and one time use and fit right in a purse or beach bag for summer trips.

To purchase:

OcuFresh is sold at major retailers such as Rite Aid and Walgreens, OccuSave Vitamins are available at Harris Teeters, Eye-Cept is sold at Drugstore.com and CVS and MiniDrops can be found on Amazon and Rite Aid. Many of these products can be found at more retailers than I mentioned. Just click on each product listed above for locations near you or where to purchase online.

Filed Under: Health, Product Reviews Tagged With: health, Product Reviews