Sunday, November 24, 2013

Review of Morrocco Method Henna Hair Dye



I have been using Morrocco Method Natural Henna hair dye for several years now. The line of products are raw, vegan and wild crafted. I have tried other brands when I have run out of this product but I really do prefer this particular brand for my hair. The ingredients are all natural without chemical additives that might irritate sensitive scalps. There are no metals or toxins so in terms of purity you are getting the real deal. On EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database the product is given 0 meaning a low hazard rating.

Colors available in this line are black, red, dark brown, medium brown, light brown, marigold blonde and neutral.  There is no fear of your hair turning out orange as was the case back in the day where home done henna rinses often turned the hair a grisly burnt orange! I have tried all of the colors except for black and neutral. I like to experiment with mixing different shades together to create warmth and depth to my hair color. My current favorites are dark brown and medium brown which turns my naturally brown hair a richer tone with chocolate hints. I have received many compliments on the color and I get a kick out of telling people I did it myself!

 I have also used the marigold mixed with light brown and red and that mixture gave my hair more of a coppery sheen. I like this look for the summer with its brightness but for the fall and winter I am really loving the darker browns.

 For instructions on creating the perfect henna hair color click here.

I have used the Morocco Method products for years now and I keep coming back to it as my hair responds nicely to the gentle ingredients. The company's website offers a lot of information and tips on how to best use the products. There are how-to videos as well as a FAQ section. There is also a handy Lunar Hair Chart which tells you the optimum days to get your hair cut depending on what your goals are.

For further details visit the site today


 Disclosure: I am an affiliate for Morrocco Method products. I only endorse those products I have tried and that have passed my test of using non toxic ingredients, good performance and great customer service. In my opinion and after a number of years testing the products out, Morrocco Method attains this criteria.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Review of Rawmio Organic Raw Chocolate Truffle Cake



Always on the look out for healthy treats I found the perfect morsel in Rawmio's Organic Raw Chocolate Truffle Cake. It is absolutely delicious! I bought one yesterday from my local health store and I had intended on giving it to somebody or other in a fit of goodwill at some point over this coming season of giving, but in a moment of weakness opened the treat and haven't been able to stop munching since. Still there isn't much to feel bad about ingredient wise :Crust (Raw Coconut Flakes, Raw Almonds, Raw Currants , Raw Cacao)  Filling (Raw Coconut Flakes, Coconut Sugar, Raw Cashews , Raw Cacao, Celtic Sea Salt.  Shelf life is 6 months but good luck with keeping it that long!

The texture is spot on too, with a velvety, truffle like consistency that has a really satisfying mouth feel. There are large chunks of almonds along the crust that add interesting texture. I wouldn't exactly call it a cake, it really is more like a giant truffle but it is packaged like a cake. I am going to buy a bunch of them and give them out as Christmas gifts as I love the fact that the product is extremely tasty and good for you at the same time. Coconut sugar is a good sweetener to use as it is low glycemic so won't send blood sugar levels on a roller coaster. Anyone with a sweet tooth will be happy with this and not feel deprived. I didn't find it sickly sweet either. Rawmio has created a good balance with the coconut sugar and currants. There is quite a strong taste of coconut from the coconut flakes which I enjoy and tempers the cacao flavor so that the flavors blend well. Overall this is an elegant concoction that will delight chocolate lovers. 

You can buy  Rawmio Organic Raw Chocolate Truffle Cake in natural food stores or online.


Got Cacao? Order some today!

Friday, November 1, 2013

Review of Hydrabrush 30 second smile toothbrush



First of all, this is a funny looking device. It doesn't look like any brush I have ever used before and is almost sci-fi in its conception. For one thing, it has 6 micro brush heads that swivel and rotate as it moves across the teeth. Undeterred by the look, I bought a brush at my dentist's as the hygienist recommended it. I was also quite excited at the thought of being able to clean my teeth in 30 seconds!

I have to say I absolutely love this brush. It works better than any toothbrush I have tried, and my gums prove the fact that it does a stand out job. It took a couple of weeks for my gums to become accustomed the new technique and I was almost put off using it at first as my gums bled and felt quite sore in places. The makers do warn you about this as the brush is getting into the places other toothbrushes leave behind, so there can be some tenderness in the beginning. I am so glad I stuck with it because now 4 months later my gums have never looked so good. They are a healthy pink color whereas before I had slightly red edges around my gums.

I also love the fact that it really does do my teeth in 30 seconds! This is brilliant in my mind because prior to this my tooth cleaning regimen used to take over 5 minutes what with flossing, brushing, blotting etc etc. I never looked forward to brushing my teeth , it was a chore that had to be done twice a day much like the washing up. Now I don't mind because 30 seconds is nothing , it's almost enjoyable in fact. I still do use my ionic toothbrush after the hydra brush for a few seconds, then I floss , then rinse with mouthwash so I expect the whole regimen takes 2 minutes or less but that is much preferable to the previous time spent.

The brush hits the teeth and gums at the right angle and is fashioned upon the Bass brushing technique which gently massages the gums and does not cause damage as the angle the brush heads hit is not harming the gums. Each brush head hits all the surfaces on the tooth at the same time and cleans them properly with the bristles hitting the correct places.

Once you get the hang of it the brush is very easy to navigate around the mouth. Basically you turn it on and place it between the front top and bottom teeth then gently bite down as you slowly move the brush across the teeth.

Pros:
  • My gums are healthier
  • My teeth are whiter
  • Cleans teeth quickly
  • Competitively priced compared to other electric toothbrushes ( mine was $99 at the dentist)
  • Rechargeable

Cons:
  • Mine stopped charging after only 4 months of use. However, the company sent me out a new charging station immediately free of charge so I was only without the brush for a few days. In fact this was a good experiment as I was forced to go back to my manual toothbrush and my teeth did not feel as clean or as smooth as they did with the hydra brush
  • The design is such that water can drip into the unit. To avoid this I put my brush at an angle to dry so that water does not drip into it. 
  • There is a short period of adjusting to the brush, or at least there was for me, and like I mentioned my gums were sore and bled. However , after the first two weeks my gums started healing and now they are looking and feeling healthy.

Tip:
I buy replacement heads on Amazon for around $6. I plan to change the heads every 3 months or so. You can buy the Hydra brush at some dentists, or online by googling Hydra brush.


I will be interested to see what my next dental cleaning and check up will be like. I am particularly keen to see whether the small pockets have decreased with my new toothbrush. I will update this review when I go to the dentist.