No Sweat

Product Talk by Nuffnang

It's a little ironic that I tend to sweat more now that the temperature is starting to drop. I attribute it to the fact that it's freezing cold in my house in the mornings as I get ready. That means I end up wearing clothes that are way too warm when I step out into the Australian sun. That, combined with having to rush around, getting my two boys (and myself) ready for the day results in me becoming a hot (sticky, sweaty) mess before my car even rolls down the driveway.

I've always been a loyal use of the various Dove products I've tried so naturally, when the opportunity for me to review the new Dove Pure Anti-Perspirant Deodorant came up, I agreed.

Before I even tried the product, I was impressed. 

It's an anti-perspirant deodorant. How revolutionary! Has this been around for a while, and I've just been living under a rock? Back when I first started looking for sweat-control products, I could only find anti-perspirants for women. (Did the rest of the female population not require deodorant?!) No sweat and no smell? Excellent.

It contains NO parabens, colourants, fragrances, and ethyl alcohol. Ever since last October, I've been trying to live cleaner and reduce the amount of chemicals in our home so this is a step in the right direction for me.

Then, I used it, and was even more impressed.

It doesn't smell. Yes, I know it says No Fragrance right on the label but all the other fragrance-free products I've used previously didn't have a strong perfume-y scent but it did smell plastic-y. This, I sniffed and sniffed, and didn't smell a thing! 

It's hypoallergenic and moisturizes. Always a bonus when it comes to my dry, hyper-sensitive skin.

It works. I was absolutely thrilled that I didn't have to worry about hot (sweaty, stinky) underarms anymore! I personally prefer the roll-on version for more accurate application, but both the roll-on and spray work equally well.

Hurry for yet another Dove product that keeps me feeling clean all day long!

The products in this post were provided for my consideration. I was not paid to write this review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Spotlight on Killari Queensland

Today, I'm highlighting my friend Corrine's small business, Killari Queensland, because I just spent the morning perusing through this gorgeous collection of jewellery and I love it so much I want to share it with everyone.

Recently, I've become so fascinated with learning about small businesses and hearing the stories behind handmade pieces so I was soaking up everything she said. Killari pieces are handmade by artisans in Peru from 950 sterling silver, and because each piece is handmade, each one is unique! 

I'm a believer in supporting small handmade businesses and I've always known that it takes a lot of hard work to build a business from the ground up, but until the past couple of months, I didn't realize how many little details that really meant. Now I can really appreciate things like the pricing of handmade items.

It's been a long time since I've worn earrings but here's the pair I picked up today. I love that the wrapped part isn't solid and stationary, but actually rings that move a little. 

For those of you looking for Christmas gift ideas, either to give or to add to your wish list, definitely check them out. Killari has an online store, or if you're in Brisbane look for Killari at various lifestyle markets around the city (listed on the Killari Queensland Facebook page) for a look at their new stock and various one-off pieces.

Tell her Bernice sent you!

The Effortless Look

Product Talk by Nuffnang

I don't spend a lot of time talking about beauty and outward appearances around here because I generally don't have a lot of time to think about looks in the first place.

I live with a house full of boys. I'm a stay at home mom who does school pick-ups and drop-offs, drives the kids around to their various lessons and play dates, does groceries and then stays home most days doing housework. Oh, and I blog. For the most part (read: in my head), it's understandable, even acceptable if I don't look super-fantastic every single day.

But there are days when I look around and see people and wonder why I can't look all put together and set for the day like they do? They make it look so effortless. (Oh, that effortless look. Over the years, I've learned that it's anything but effortless.)

For me, it all starts with getting ready in the morning.

My biggest obstacle? My hair.

I can freshen up my face and throw on a clean outfit in seconds but my hair? My hair is so unpredictable.

Some mornings, I wake up and my hair looks (relatively) perfect. Other mornings, the front looks fine, the back's flat or bent at an angle (seriously, how does that even happen?!) and there's frizz going on all over the place.

Every morning, I wake up hoping that when I look in the mirror, it's the former but more often than not, I'm left hoping I have enough time to hop into the shower.

It's my own fault I don't have glossy, gorgeous hair.

I don't put a whole lot of effort into taking care of my hair. My routine consists of shampooing, conditioning and sometimes blowdrying. On special occasions, I pull out my straightener.

I have tried leave-in products in the past but the nasty residue feeling made me want to jump right back into the shower and wash it all out. I've tried products that were supposed to volumize, cleanse, smooth out or curl my hair as it dried but none of them worked on my hair.

I hate being disappointed and I hate wasting money. I grew tired of the whole trial and error thing. After a while, I stopped trusting the words on the bottles and just settled for whatever was on sale.

I still wanted gorgeous hair. But I wanted it to come effortlessly and I wanted it to come cheap.

Enter Dove's Nutri-Oil Serum.

Between the sun, chlorinated pools and now the dry weather, my hair has taken quite a beating lately. And the fact that I've actually noticed this means that my hair probably looks is quite drab and dry.

It's also hit me that I'm not that young anymore and that I should probably start taking better care of myself, lest I start down the slippery slope to letsnottalkaboutit. I knew I needed to do something to revitalize my hair, but what.

After reading about this product from Karen Cheng's blog, I had the opportunity to give it a try.

I figured she's a busy mom and probably as particular as I am about products so it's probably worth a shot.

And I'm so glad I tried it because this product was good.

 Please disregard the dust on the mirror. Life as a fashion model is tough.

It was easy to use. 3 pumps into your palm, work it into your hair, done.

It left my hair feeling clean. I've always used Dove soap and I can count on it to leave me fresh and clean. This product was the same; it really was weightless and I didn't feel gross putting it on my hands or in my hair. Dove really understands feeling clean.

It's pretty cheap. At under $10 a pop in Australia, I'd say it's a pretty good deal.

And bonus, it smells good!


The product I am reviewing was sent to me for free, but all opinions expressed are 100% my own. I was not paid to write this review.

Crazy Mart

Recently, some friends of ours started an online auction site - Crazy Mart. It's kind of like eBay, except you pay for each bid, and each bid after the timer reaches 120s adds time to the clock.

You always hear of people getting awesome deals on auction sites and I've always wanted to give it a try but I never did because for whatever reason, eBay has always confused me and I never had the patience to follow an auction to the end. Then, there's the issue of sketchy sellers - how do you know they won't take your money and run?

But now with everything in Australia costing almost twice what we're used to paying, it's nice to find legit ways to save some money and get what you want. Plus, since it is our friends' business, it seemed like a safe place to check out the auction scene.

So I did. And I won!

But my win was nothing compared to some of the other wins out there.

Just the other day, I watched an iPod Touch go for $21.70. Including the cost of the bids, the total came to $56.19! Isn't that ridiculous crazy?!

I know auctions aren't for everyone. Andrew tells me you have to have nerves of steel. But if you want to give it a try*, go sign up now and they'll give you 10 free credits to check things out. You never know - you just might win something, but you gotta be in it to win it!

Please bid responsibly.


* And if you're feeling extra generous, I would be super grateful if you send me your email before you sign up so I can send you a referral email, so that when you do sign up, I can get some credits, please? I know it's round-about and extra work for you, but I had to ask! Thank you kindly!

Fisher Price Rock N Play

Product Talk by Nuffnang

When it comes to sleeping, Nathan and Caleb couldn't be more different. Nathan used to sleep so well, any time, any place. Caleb? Not so much.

Ever since Caleb was born, he has had trouble sleeping. His very first night, he refused to sleep in the little hospital cot and only (finally) fell asleep when he was put on me skin-to-skin. It was all fine and dandy at first, but then I got really hot. It was like lying in a sauna with a tiny baby stuck to you, literally. I was worried about sweating all over him, but the little dude loved it.

The fact of the matter is that Caleb sleeps best and longest when he's being held. It doesn't matter how soundly he's sleeping in our arms (or in our bed), the moment his little bottom so much as grazes his bed, he startles, screams and scrambles to sit up. I kid you not. It's a nightly occurrence. At nap times too.


This gets a little frustrating when you have a mile-long list of things to get done. Lucky for me, my mom came to visit for about a month and that gave me some time to relax a little and for once, dirty dishes and laundry weren't piling up all around me. But then, she went home.

That's when I was given the opportunity to check out the Fisher Price Rock N Play.


When it arrived, I couldn't wait to put it together. It took me under 7 minutes to assemble. It would have been faster if I had taken the time to look at the instructions and actually stop the stop watch when I finished. Immediately, I liked how easy it was to assemble, how lightweight and portable it was, and that the seat cover could be removed easily for washing.


I was sold! But it wasn't me we needed to impress here. We needed Caleb to like this seat.

I was a little nervous. Would Caleb even sit in it for more than a minute?
The answer: Yes.


Though Caleb tends to prefer sitting completely upright, he was content to lean back and relax for a little while. I like the angle of the seat because Caleb's had a stuffy nose for the past little while and being in a semi-reclined position has helped him to breathe while he sleeps. It also happens to be the position he likes sleeping in.

The Rock N Play is high enough that when Caleb is sitting beside me, he's not staring at my knees. When he does want to sit up, the seat is deep enough to keep him contained. This is a huge plus for me, because Caleb likes hanging over the sides of things which means he could potentially fall out. The sides of this seat are high enough to keep him from flopping over.


And the more important question, would Caleb sleep in it?
The answer, again, is yes.


He still needs to fall asleep in my arms first (for now) but when I place him into the seat, there is no startling, no scrambling to get back up and no screaming. He just sleeps. And his first nap in there lasted 2 hours. Hurrah!