Eco Lips for Beauty and Compassionate Choices #GiftGuide

Are you a beauty enthusiast, but also an animal lover? If you are anything like me, you care deeply about the environment and the sanctity of life, and wouldn’t consider buying from brands that test on animals or willfully destroy the environment. Not to mention, why would you want to slather chemicals all over your face?

Eco Lips gives you both quality makeup as well as the environmentally safe ingredients you demand. 

no animal testing

The Lip + Cheek Tints collection makes for the perfect multitasking beauty balm to add to your routine this season. The collection is a line of three beauty balms that add color and hydration to every look. Eco Lips uses organic jojoba, coconut oil, organic and fair-trade cocoa butter, and sunflower seed wax, making it vegan-friendly, and cruelty-free as well as lightweight.

The Lip Food collection was curated using organic food-grade ingredients like spirulina algae, pumpkin seed, and chamomile mushroom that nourish, protect and plump the lips. The formula is also organic, fair trade.

The latest line, Ecolixir, boasts the power of oil to improve the skins’ overall health. As part of a natural wellness regimen, its the perfect gift for the clean beauty advocate.

All of Eco Lips‘ collections feature nothing but the best natural ingredients. Their Bee Free Vegan Lip Balm is perfect for vegans and green lifestylists. Their Specialty line is perfect for those who know that only the best will do. And of course, their newest Lip + Cheek Tints collection is the perfect multitasking beauty balm to add color all over.

More About Eco Lips

The story behind the Eco Lips brand is essentially a love story. As the creators of the first USDA-certified original organic lip balm, the family-owned company has expanded their line over time to encompass lifestyle and beauty products. All Eco Lips products are made with wind power offsets, fair trade, gluten-free, and cruelty-free. As a B-corp, they take customer satisfaction, product effectiveness, and good-for-the-world ethos seriously.

Stocking Stuffers for the Holidays #GiftGuide

Looking for some useful ideas for the upcoming season? No need to spend money on items that no one will really use, true? Great for health, beauty, and sleep, here are a few thoughts for items that will fill a stocking as well as be used cheerfully.

Doctor Plotka™’s Travel Toothbrush

Check out the Travel Brush for foldable, easy storage and that extra clean feeling. Embedded with silver technology to eliminate 99.9% of bacteria build-up for up to 6 hours after brushing, you can keep those germs away while you show off your pearly whites all winter long. Available for $5.99. 

itSpray

Dream – This natural herbal sleep aid will help you fall and stay asleep. Unlike a solo melatonin supplement, this spray additionally includes a proprietary blend of 5HTP and Valerian Root to relieve your stress and anxiety. Use 10 minutes before going to bed and control your dose. Start with a few sprays and go from there — up to 14 in 24 hours. The formula is gluten-free with no fillers or binders, so it absorbs quickly. Available for $24.99. 

facepeels

Check out the new Rose Gold Easy Peel-Off Mask from 7th Heaven. It’s launching at Claire’s stores in November, and is going to fly off the shelves.

This cruelty-free, vegan easy peel off mask is an ultra-deep nourishing formula that minimizes the appearance of pores, tones and purifies skin. It’s like a weekly boost for the skin to keep it glowing and vibrant. This metallic peel-off mask features Damask Rose Water, White Tea and Moonstone – available in single-serve pouches for $1.99 each.
immune therapy
Immunity Blend from Guru Nanda is a small but mighty bottle full of goodness. It features seven different therapeutic grade, 100% pure and natural essential oils that help the body resist germs – clove, eucalyptus, rosemary, frankincense, lemon, oregano and tea tree.
Use it in an aromatherapy diffuser for a healthy, spa-like experience. Or dilute it with purified water and use as a spray for cleaning household surfaces.
teeth whitening kit
For whiter and brighter teeth for all those holiday photos, try Luster Pro Light Dental Whitening System is fantastic for anyone who loves coffee, tea or any dark beverages! It features a patented Dual Power Dual Power Xenon Whitening Light and Stain Lifting Serum to whiten teeth up to 6 shades in 30 minutes! It’s a clinically proven professional whitening system with no messy trays or strips. The system gently whitens without sulfates (SLS). Enamel-Safe. System includes: Dual-Energy Whitening Light, Accelerinse, Stain Lifting Serum, Power White Pro Anticavity Fluoride Toothpaste – Mint. $43.99 at Lusterpremiumwhite.com

Schleich Toys and Playsets #GiftGuide

For great educational and entertaining toys that are authentically and beautifully detailed and can be passed down for generations, and hands-on way for kids to learn about and develop an appreciation for the world’s animals and their habitats, while fostering hours of imaginative play, check out Schleich Toys.

imaginative play

Children can get to know a variety of farm animals with Schleich’s Farm World range of toys. The lifelike Schleich creatures and play accessories inspire children to learn while they play, opening the “barn door” for fact-based as well as imaginative farm stories.

With Schleich’s Wild Life range, kids can trek through the Savannah, go on safari and experience thrilling adventures at the watering hole with lions, zebras and rhinos, as they get to know the jungle creatures that live in the dense, tropical rainforest.

Young horse lovers can visit the horses on the paddock, feed them in their stalls, transport them to tournaments and then brush them down in the wash area.

Small and nimble, big and strong, massive and winged, dinosaurs came in all shapes and sizes – and kids can learn about them all with Schleich’s dynamic and “fierce” Dinosaurs range! From primordial giants like the T Rex and Kentrosaurus to the Raptors, there are enough amazing creatures to satisfy even the most intrepid young explorers.

Fun Toys for Creative Kids #GiftGuide

Looking for something fun to stimulate the mind of a creative child? These are a lot of fun, and we think your little Eisenstein will get a lot of play out of them.

imaginative play

One of our all time favorite toy companies, Schleich, has all sorts of new toys this year. That is in addition to the many amazing playsets and figures they already had- these don’t go out of style. For the child interested in dinosaurs, horses, farm life, sea life, Roman history, and so much more, these incredibly detailed figures are perfect for creative play and collecting.  The Schleich’s Wild Life range allows kids to walk through the wilds of the Savannah, take a safari, and see lions, zebras, and rhinoceros.  Individual animals are also available. Horse lovers will love Schleich’s Horse Club , which lets them take these majestic animals to tournaments and festivals, win best in show, feed and take care of them in stables, and more. Dinosaurs, sea life, Fairy wonderlands, and more are all available. Visit https://www.schleich-s.com/en/US/ to see what your child will enjoy.

girls toys

Kuroba, a new collectible that is a mix of Shopkins and BeyBlade, is newly available. Small and easy to put away, these toys are 16 different cube-shaped characters with funny, expressive faces and personalities. The toys are featured in a show on the Kuroba YouTube channel, where kids can watch the series of 1-4-minute shorts. The line includes a Training Pack to practice and enhance their skills, a Battle Pack for battle, and a Klash Arena playset to battle their Kuroba.  Find out more at https://playmatestoys.com/brands/kuroba/

hotwheels playset

Hot WheelsTM 50th Jumbo MegamatTM  is perfect for the car collector or enthusiast. This set comes with 2 HotWheels die cast cars, a foam mat with a city and roads that lets kids drive all over and go exploring without ruining your floors or tables, and is easily wiped clean. This is a special 50th anniversary playmat that comes with a collectible Hot Wheels poster. For ages 3+, $29.99.

family puzzles

For kids who like to make things fit or create, TCG has a beautiful line of puzzles for fans of any age. You can find all sorts of themes, from new hits like Fingerlings to classic skylines and everything in between. Kids or adults and whole families can get together and work on these. In addition, TCG has a puzzles and campaign to benefit the Autistic community, involving Autism Speaks and Autism Speaks Canada since 2016. For some autistic people, puzzles help calm and stimulate, so it is a wonderful fit. Prices range from $3.99 for a 200 piece puzzle to $7.99 for a 1,000 piece puzzle.

underwater camera

For older kids that like to capture life, or adults who are on the go, travelers, adventurers, or anyone who would like a virtually “accident proof” camera built for life, check out GoPro. The new HERO7 Silver camera is basically the best priced holiday gifting camera. It features all the high-quality 4K video and 12MP photo, as well as GPS, voice control, electronic image stabilization, and more.

tough camera

At $299, HERO7 Silver gives you performance at a doable price. It goes where you go, underwater, into mud runs, ziplining, downhill skiing- you name it. Videos and photos are detailed, and you can opt for ultra-long time lapse video in 4K, as well as slow-mo in 2x or short videos that are easy for sharing.The Short Clips feature captures 15 second clips- easy as that. You can zoom, get selfies, burst shots, use a timer, and so many more features. Did I mention that (of course) there is an app for that? If that’s a little too expensive for you, the $199, HERO7 White is another option that still gives you tons of options for less money.

 

WIN a “Blast!” retro/classic videogame console from AtGames #GiftGuide

 AtGames Digital Media Inc., have released their latest classic video games- the Blast! family of products. The Blast! series of HDMI dongle and wireless controller bundles features eight to 20 classic titles per model.

blast video games

“This upcoming range of products represents an unprecedented value for families and gamers of all types,” says Dr. Ping-Kang Hsiung, CEO of AtGames. “With a wide selection of innovative, expandable HDMI dongle and wireless controller products with fun-to-play games of every type, there’s truly something here for everyone.”

The Blast! family includes the Atari Flashback Blast! Vol. 1Atari Flashback Blast! Vol. 2Activision Flashback Blast!Legends Flashback Blast! and Bandai Namco Flashback Blast!, all of which come with a USB-powered HDMI dongle that plugs directly into the TV and an ergonomic six-button wireless gamepad. The Atari Flashback Blast! Vol. 3 swaps the wireless gamepad for a pair of wireless game paddles, which are specially optimized for its selection of classic paddle and ball games.

Atari Flashback Blast! Vol. 1 features 20 Atari 2600 classics like Centipede, Millipede and Yars’ Revenge.

Atari Flashback Blast! Vol. 2 features 20 Atari 2600 classics like Adventure, Asteroids and Missile Command.

Atari Flashback Blast! Vol. 3. features 20 Atari 2600 paddle-based classics like Breakout, Pong and Warlords.

The Activision Flashback Blast! features 20 of the most iconic Activision home classics, including Pitfall!, H.E.R.O. and River Raid.

The Legends Flashback Blast! features Space Invaders and an additional 11 favorites like Burnin’ Rubber and Jungle Hunt.

The Bandai Namco Flashback Blast! features eight gaming mainstays, including Pac-Man, Galaga and Dig Dug.

retro video games

Every Blast! includes high-definition video output, an intuitive menu system, save and resume game functionality and the ability to rewind a game in progress to recover from a play misstep. An optional second wireless gamepad can be purchased for games that support two players.

These “plug & play” products include an HDMI dongle and wireless controller bundles and feature eight to 20 classic videogame titles per model.

The Blast! family includes the Atari Flashback Blast! Vol. 1Atari Flashback Blast! Vol. 2Activision Flashback Blast!Legends Flashback Blast! and Bandai Namco Flashback Blast!, all of which come with a USB-powered HDMI dongle that plugs directly into the TV and an ergonomic six-button wireless gamepad. The Atari Flashback Blast! Vol. 3 swaps the wireless gamepad for a pair of wireless game paddles, which are specially optimized for its selection of classic paddle and ball games.

Games featured include Centipede, Millipede, Yar’s Revenge, Asteroids, Missile Command, Pitfall, River Raid, Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Galaga and Dig Dug.

Blast! family products retail for $19.99-$39.99.

One of you will be able to win a console- please feel free to use the RC form below to enter. Good Luck! Ends Jan 10, 2019.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Last Minute Toy Shopping Under $20 #GiftGuide

 

Adorable plush Rescue Runts and Cinco Linko game are under $20 and available in-store at thousands of Walmart stores across the country. You can shop local and not worry about products shipping in timeThese toys are family-friendly, encourage creativity and offer year-round fun!

Cinco Linko (Big Potato)

Cinco Linko is a super-simple five-in-a-row tile game that you can clip to your bag and play on the go, no matter where you’re headed. With no game board required, any flat surface can be your playing field – whether it’s the coffee table at home, the tray table on an airplane or even the sand on the beach.

Learning is easy. Just choose a color, grab your stack and take turns laying down tiles side-by-side until someone manages to get five-in-a-row of their color, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Sounds simple, but when there’s players blocking you at every turn and a board without any boundaries, winning can go from simple to tricky in a flash. Run out of tiles? Well, that just means you’ll have to pick up the ones you’ve already placed and reposition them one by one until you manage to sneak your line of five past the other players.

Cinco Linko comes with 60 tiles (15 pink, 15 yellow, 15 green, 15 orange). The tiles stack easily onto four included racks that clip together with a connector to keep everything together on the go. Just use the included carabiner clip to hook Cinco Linko to your bag and you’re ready to play anyone, anywhere. Value: $9.99, 2-4 Players, Ages 8+, Available in Walmart Stores.

Rescue Runts (KD Kids)

Rescue Runts need a home to call their own! The super soft plush puppies and Limited Edition Rescue Runts Unicorn arrive in their crate packaging with matted fur full of fleas, dirty paws, bruises and bumps, tears in their eyes and downturned ears. Care for your Rescue Runt using the included grooming kit to pick out the fleas, remove the cast, clean the dirt from their paws, wipe away their tears and brush their messy fur. Perk up their ears to complete the transformation from ragged runt to perfect pet! Choose a name and write it on the collar to make the adoption official.

Just like any pet, Rescue Runts will need regular grooming, love and care so kids can engage in repeated animal rescue play. Rescue Runts’ fur will become messy again over time, so brunch them each day to keep them well-groomed. Dirt will reappear on their paws, so clean them up again and again! Rewrap the cast to care for their injuries. Place the fleas in their fur and tweeze them out. Flip their ears up or down to go from happy to sad.  Rescue Runts include one pet, a brush, collar, tweezers and towel.  MSRP $19.99, Ages 3+, Available at Walmart

Adorable Moosh-Moosh Stuffed Toys #GiftGuide

smoosh toys

Do you know someone who loves soft, squishy toys? My son (and my partner) both loft pillow-like toys, especially when they are super soft on the outside. They would be great gifts this holiday season. If you know any kid (or kid at heart) who likes to collect stuffed toys, these are sure to be a hit.

Moosh-Moosh is an adorable new, marshmallow-soft, squishy stuffed animal/pillow. You can use it as either or both (we do). You can find them in the aisles of Michaels Stores or CVS,  Moosh-Moosh comes in quite a few sizes and options. More than three million cuddly characters have been sold since they first came out this year. Cuddle, snuggle, squish or stack these cuties, they are fun to collect as well. Moosh-Moosh makes the perfect December present for stocking stuffers, dreidel game prizes or an under-the-tree surprise.

You can get these soft plushies in a palm-size 4”Clip-on ($5.99) to a huggable 7” Regular ($9.99) to the ultimate 10” Large ($14.99).

Shop for over 72 styles online at Moosh-Moosh.com . You will have a hard time choosing just one, but as with all things, they are better with friends.  These have been hot sellers at neighborhood Staples, JOANN Stores, AC Moore, and Party City, as well as select Hudson News airport stores.

 

Companies that Care- GOOD DEEDS

Behind the Moosh-Moosh logo is a caring company that donates plush buddies as need arises. A Kindergarten teacher in the Washington, DC area was looking for an educator discount to buy her 28 students plushies for reading circle. Imagine her surprise when Sean Price, VP of Business Development and Marketing for parent company MMG Brands, shipped her two dozen soft friends.

A bigger shout out came from Omaha, Nebraska, home of Elliott’s Hoedown for ATCP. After learning about the A-T Children’s Project, MMG Brands donated $11,000 worth of toys! The Midwest charity creates awareness for A-T (a rare, inherited disease that affects several organs and systems, including the nervous and the immune systems) and funnels donations to Johns Hopkins’ A-T clinic in Baltimore, Maryland.

Reindeer In Here book and plush #GiftGuide

Not everyone is a huge fan of “Elf of the Shelf”, for various reasons. Some people don’t like the elf’s antics, some feel that the kids should not have bad behavior reported to Santa. While I have no such qualms (and our Elf does NOT get into mischief that takes hours of prep time and then more to cleanup, thank you) there is a cute alternative or addition to the Christmas Elf.

elf on the shelf

According to RIH, “Since its 2005 release, Elf on the Shelf has proven to be both a Christmas tradition and commercial success, leading holiday sales charts each year. As time wore on and its popularity grew, the story began to receive criticism from both parents and experts on child psychology.

Owner and creator of Reindeer in Here was looking for a Christmas tradition to start with his own family after the birth of his daughter and quickly discovered that he too became one of the parents questioning the elf’s effectiveness. REINDEER IN HERE is his attempt at providing a friendlier, more positive tool for parents and children to get into the holiday spirit.  As the children bond with their Christmas friend the entire family creates a lasting Christmas tradition as everyone looks forward to REINDEER IN HERE coming back year after year.

“Not only have we shelved the elf,” says Reed. “But in doing so we’ve created LESS STRESS for parents and MORE CHRISTMAS for families across the globe.  I couldn’t be more proud of our little REINDEER IN HERE and all it has accomplished in such a short time.”

“For those ready to change things up,” begins the glowing review by The National Parenting Center, “Reindeer InHere offers a cute, loving and stress-free alternative to help you celebrate the magic of Christmas throughout the month of December.”

Created by a Dad, the Reindeer In Here book and plush “magically” arrive in early December, setting the stage for a new yearly Christmas tradition.  It’s the child’s very first gift of the holiday season from Santa — and can return year after year.  Read part of the delightful 2018 Seal of Approval review, below:

“Parents couldn’t wait to embrace a new, positive and refreshing tradition. The reasonably priced kit comes in a beautiful box and includes a book introducing the Reindeer tradition to your children, as well as the cute Reindeer plush. The plush is a good size and struck parents as being of a great quality, which meant that it could last through several Christmases.”

Reindeer In Here can be found at many specialty stores including Hallmark and Learning Express. To find a neighborhood store nearby, simply click on their online Store Finder map at www.ReindeerInHere.com. There is also a limited supply available on Amazon.