Product review: Mamonde Pang Pang Hair Shadow Hair Line Makeup Concealer

 

Think of Mamonde Pang Pang concealer as blush or eyeshadow for the scalp.  It is pressed powder, and you apply it with a sponge applicator to your scalp. It leaves a little bit of color on the scalp, similar to how eyeshadow leaves a little bit of color on your eyelids. The thin hair areas look slightly less noticeable because the skin you see is a little darker.  I got the darkest color, and it leaves just a hint of dark color, not very dark. It does lessen the visibility of areas that have less hair.  You do need to have some hair; it would not help a bold spot at all. You will need to wash your hair before going to sleep so your painted scalp does not stain the pillowcase.

The container is tiny. It is less than 1.5" tall and contains three compartments - the cover has a mirror, the center has a small amount of powder, and the bottom compartment, the largest, contains an application puff.

Overall? It is okay, not great, not terrible.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link. Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Chefman Immersion Stick Hand Blender with Stainless Steel Blades

     

This hand blender is bigger than I imagined looking at the stock photo. It is 16.5" long. It is more powerful than I imagined. I used it to make a smoother out of freeze-dried fruits, and it worked very well. I used to make it with Kitchen Aid full-size blender, and this worked just as well but took a lot less time to clean up. It has a high and a low speed. It only works when you are holding down the button. Best used in a tall mixing bowl to avoid splatter. 

 

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Be Sparkle Cotton Face Masks for Women and Men, Reusable Cloth Face Mask with Adjustable Ear Loops, COVID-19

 

I got the adult size mask. The package contained one cloth mask. The cloth mask's effectiveness is affected by the number of layers, material, and fit. 

I liked:

1. The mask is large and covers my face starting from the nose going well under the chin as a good mask should.

2. This is my first cloth mask, and I expected it not to hold water (the main test I run on all paper masks to make sure they offer good protection). To my surprise, this mask does hold water and did not leak when I filled it with water.  Even when I washed by hand under the faucet, it continued to hold water. Big plus!

3. The mask has two layers, the outer thicker fabric, and the inside thin fabric.  It has a pocket for a filter.


I did not like:

1. The main problem with the mask that it does not have a nose clip.  The mask gaps around the nose at the top. This means COVID-19 droplets can both enter and escape.

2. It has hard holders that allow adjusting the elastic that goes around the ear.  But these plastic things dig into my ears.  I never found one-size-fits-all plain elastic around the ears bothersome, but I notice these earpieces as they press on my ears.

Comparison of mask effectiveness:
1. Cloth masks provide 30% protection
2. Surgery masks  provide 60% protection
3. N95 or KN95 masks provide 95%

When I go into crowded places, I actually double mask.  This washable mask goes on top of a surgical mask.  So the gap at the nose is not a big problem for me.  However, anyone who wears this mask on its own would need to fix it by attaching a clip with a bit of sewing; otherwise, the mask effectiveness is significantly reduced.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Pumjil Yogurt Probiotic Soft Serve Mix Smoothie

 

 The flavor of the strawberry smoother from this powder is good.  I could not make the soft serve yogurt as it did not harden; I wound up with the smoothie in my yogurt maker. It hardened when I put the smoothie into my freezer.

The biggest problem with this product is that the measurements are inconsistent, confusing, and only for large quantities. The measurements mix grams, milligrams, and cups. I had to translate everything to ounces and wrote under the official instructions.  Obviously, the product is not originally targeted for the American market. I also found the portions that too large for our family and our yogurt maker. I had to divide the smallest recipe in half, then into quarters, then enough to make just one serving. When I prepare a smoothie at home, I don't want to make a gallon; the smoothie tastes best freshly made, otherwise, it separates. Even though I tried to make a soft-serve yogurt, it never hardened. Perhaps it was because I had to do many manipulations to get the right proportions in ounces and small portions. Once I used: 1/4 of the powder package, 16 oz of milk, and 13 oz of water (4 portions).  I also used 2 tablespoons of powder and 4 oz of water, and 4 oz of milk to make a single serving.

If the seller is reading, please change your packaging for the US market using ounce measurements and provide proportions for smaller portions (single serving, a pint, a quart, and so forth).
 

Ingredients:

Cane sugar,dextrose,guar gum,locust bean gum,carrageenan,mono-anddiglycerides of fatty acids,non-fat dry milk,strawberry powder,hydrated strawberry,dehydrated glucose syrup,guar gum,skim milk powder,natural and artificial flavors,mono-and diglycerodes of fatty acids,lactic acid eaters of mono and diglycerides,propane-1,2-diol eaters of fatty acids,

The package had no instructions on how to store unused powder.  I posted a question to the seller if the powder should be refrigerated and received a quick reply that refrigeration is unnecessary and room temperature is fine for storing the partially used powder mix.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Ranto Disposable Face Mask 3 Layers Breathable Safety Masks Elastic Earloop Face Cover COVID-19

 
This package of Ranto disposable face masks contains 50 masks.  The masks have a nose clip and passed a number of tests I do on each paper mask to ensure they are reliable (more on the tests below). I did not find the ear loops too tight, and none has broken so far.  Note that I am a small size female, and I rarely find ear loops too tight on the masks labeled 'for adult.'

The masks fit comfortably over my face, do not pull on ears too much, and breathing in them is very easy.  I took the mask on and off several times while testing it, and the loops stayed attached and did not snap off, which appears to be a common issue with some of these masks. 

I found five tests to tell apart fake masks and real masks. I performed three of the tests. The main test is the "water" test, which shows that the mask does not let through the water.  This means it keeps my spittle inside the mask and keeps other's people spittle away from me.

Since the masks passed the three tests, I did not do the burn test, so I would have to destroy the mask.

Below are the five tests to tell part good face masks from bad ones:

1. Light penetration
The real mask does not let the light through; the fake mask lets the light through.

2. Blow out a flame
You cannot blow out a flame through a real mask; you can flow out a flame through a fake face mask.

3. Hold water
The real mask holds water, the fake mask leaks.

4. Burn test
The filter in the real mask melts but does not burn; the filter in the fake mask burns with a flame.

5. Electrostatic attraction test
The real mask attracts particles; a fake mask does not.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★
 

Product review: Soft serve ice cream mix, Pumjil Probiotic Soft Serve Mix, Ideal for Frozen Yogurt and Smoothies, Coconut Flavor

 

This product's measurements are very confusing; they are specified in grams, milligrams, and cups.  I had to translate everything to ounces and wrote under the official instructions.  Obviously, the product is not originally targeted for the American market. I also found the portions that too large for our family and our yogurt maker. I had the divide the smallest recipe in half. Even though I tried to make a soft-serve yogurt, it never hardened, and all the manipulations I had to do with the proportions may be the cause for this problem.  I used 1/4 of the powder package, 16 oz of milk, and 13 oz of water.

If the seller is reading, please change your packaging for the US market and provide portions for smaller portions. I would have liked to see a quart option for soft yogurt (the smallest provided now is half a gallon).

I could not make the soft serve yogurt as it did not harden; I wound up with the smoothie in my yogurt maker.  I thought the coconut flavor was good, but I found it a little bit too sweet.  Next time I will add something else to town down the sweetness.

Ingredients:

Cane sugar,dextrose,guar gum,locust bean gum,carrageenan,mono-anddiglycerides of fatty acids,non-fat dry milk,coconut powder,hydrated vegetable fat(coconut),dehydrated glucose syrup,guar gum,skim milk powder,natural and artificial flavors,mono-and diglycerodes of fatty acids,lactic acid eaters of mono and diglycerides,propane-1,2-diol eaters of fatty acids,starch

You can find the coconut flavor on Amazon by following this link.  

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: duri Nail Polish, Fall 2020 Trend, 777 Hunting for Love, Opaque, Glossy. Two colors: Intence Purple, Royal Blue

 

I purchased two colors of duri Nail Polish:  Purple Plum and Roayl Blue.   I really like this nail polish. The colors are intense, shiny, and very pretty.  The thick brush makes it easy to get good coverage in one stroke. It dried very quickly. The color stayed on well for close to a week.  Very nice!

You can find purple nail polish on Amazon by following this link. You can find blue nail polish on Amazon by following this link. Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Diffusers for Essential Oils Large Room, 500ml Marble Aromatherapy Diffuser Ultrasonic Mist Humidifier

 

We have forced hot air heat, so we have several humidifiers around the house to combat very dry air. This diffuser generates a very tiny mist compared to other diffusers I own; it does not do much for humifying the air.  You cannot see the mist it generates unless you turn on the LED light, and then you can see a tiny flow.  However, if you are looking for a very light scent diffuser - an almost imperceptible scent floating in the air, this diffuser is what you want.

I wondered if I can use this diffuser without legs for more stability.  The answer is no because the cord plugs into the bottom, and the bottom does not lay flat on the surface because of the cord.  You need the legs to lift the diffuser to increase the clearance.

The color change is visible in three small areas: the hole which emits mist, a thin stripe at the top of the diffuser, and a think striped of color around the control buttons.  The diffuser color show is as subtle as the scent.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Everipe Smoothie Kit, Strawberry Bananza, Cocoa Mojo, and Unbelievaberry

 

I got the smoothie variety pack:  one pack of strawberry, one pack of unbelievaberry, and one cocoa mojo.

I liked the flavors, they are not too sweet, with a bit of texture. I wanted them to be a little more tart, so I added citric acid and enjoyed the flavor more. There is only one thing that could be better; I wish the bags were resealable, so it was easy to use half a bag at a time.  I used half of each bag and had to use my own bag clips to close them. Each bag has freeze-dried fruits and a bag of mixins.

I prepared the smooth with soy milk the first time and water the second time.  Both were pleasant tasting. I tried the mixture before adding mixins both times, and it is also a nice flavor but has less texture.

I also like that the packages are shelf-stable and do not need to be refrigerated.

Strawberry Ingredients:
Banana, Mulberries, Strawberries, Banana, Chia Seeds, Hemp Hearts, Ground Almonds, Goji Berry Powder, Mango, Raspberries, Cherries. Nutritional Facts for Serving Size 1 smoothie (blended with water + ice): Calories 215, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 7 mg, Total Carbohydrate 35 g, Dietary Fiber 7 g, Total Sugars 19 g, Includes 0 g Added Sugars, Protein 6 g, Vitamin D 0 mcg, Calcium 100 mg, Iron 3 mg, Potassium 695 mg

Unbelievaverry Ingredients:
Mulberries, Mango, Raspberries, Blueberries, Chia Seeds, Hemp Hearts, Pomegranate, Beet Root Powder. Nutritional Facts for Serving Size 1 smoothie (blended with water + ice): Calories 175, Total Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 10 mg, Total Carbohydrate 30 g, Dietary Fiber 7 g, Total Sugars 18 g, Includes 0 g Added Sugars, Protein 5 g, Vitamin D 0 mcg, Calcium 80 mg, Iron 3 mg, Potassium 395 mg

Cocoa Mojo Ingredients:
Mulberries, Banana, Cocoa Powder, Ground Almonds, Chia Seeds, Hemp Hearts, Mango, Pineapple Nutritional Facts for Serving Size 1 smoothie (blended with water + ice): Calories 235, Total Fat 11 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 6 mg, Total Carbohydrate 34 g, Dietary Fiber 9 g, Total Sugars 17 g, Includes 0 g Added Sugars, Protein 8 g, Vitamin D 0 mcg, Calcium 115 mg, Iron 7 mg, Potassium 915 mg

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Individually Wrapped Face Mask 3 ply Blue Color Disposable 3ply

 

 
This package of SevJink disposable face masks contains two packages, each holding 50 masks. Each mask is individually packaged. The masks have a nose clip and passed a number of tests I do on each paper mask to ensure they are reliable (more on the tests below).

The masks fit comfortably over my face, do not pull on ears too much, and breathing in them is very easy.  I took the mask on and off several times while testing it, and the loops stayed attached and did not snap off, which appears to be a common issue with some of these masks. 

I found five tests to tell apart fake surgical masks and real surgical masks and performed three of the tests. The main test is the "water" test, which shows that the mask does not let through the water.  This means it keeps my spittle inside the mask and keeps other's people spittle away from me.

Since the masks passed those tests, I did not do the burn test, so I would have to destroy the mask.

Below are the five tests to tell part a good surgical mask from a bad one:

1. Light penetration
The real mask does not let the light through; the fake mask lets the light through.

2. Blow out a flame
You cannot blow out a flame through a real mask; you can flow out a flame through a fake face mask.

3. Hold water
The real mask holds water, the fake mask leaks.

4. Burn test
The filter in the real mask melts but does not burn; the filter in the fake mask burns with a flame.

5. Electrostatic attraction test
The real mask attracts particles; a fake mask does not.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: SZHLUX LED Grow Light for Indoor Plants 80W , 2FT Full Spectrum Sunlight Plant Lights

 

 

This is a broad spectrum grow light.  It produces white light, rather than the reddish light generated by another type of grow lights.  Reddish grow lights produce a smaller amount of UVC light. Broad Spectrum lights contain much more UVC light. UVC light is harmful, especially to the eyes.  So it is best to wear eye protection if you are using UVC grow lights. And don't stare into your lights.

How are full-spectrum grow lights different from sunlight? The sun's light contains UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C, but our atmosphere filters out most of the UV-C light. UV-A and UV-B get through the atmosphere. They are the reason we need to wear sunscreen and UV-blocking sunglasses.

This a very bright light. I like that it does not require a fixture; it can be hung on the brackets that come with the light. The package includes brackets, hooks, and a pulley system, allowing you to control how low the lights hang.  Be aware that you can make the hanging system shorter, but you cannot make it longer.  Once you raise the light, you can not lower it.  My original plan was to pull the lights up and down as needed, but that turned out not to be possible with the mechanism included in the package. 

The cord is not long (5 feet), so I am also using my own extension cord to reach the power outlet.

The 3600K light is quite natural; each light covers a pretty good area.


Some assembly tips:

1. The light reflectors slide in from the side.  Slide the side of the reflector that has a lip. The reflectors slide out easily. I wound up taping the light fixture ends with tape to keep them from sliding out while I was installing them. 

2. The brackets snap into the metal part of the light. There are two brackets included for each light.

Good lights, but be safe using them. I recommend UVC eye protection.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★  

Product review: The Essential Goods Disposable Face Mask

 

 This package contains 10 masks.  The masks have a nose clip and passed a number of tests I do on each disposable paper masks to ensure they are reliable (more on the tests below).

The masks fit comfortably over my face, do not pull on ears too much, and breathing in them is very easy.  I took the mask on and off several times while testing it, and the loops stayed attached and did not snap off, which appears to be a common issue with some of these masks.  

I found five tests to tell apart fake surgical masks and real surgical masks and performed three of the tests. The main test is the "water" test, which shows that the mask does not let through the water.  This means it keeps my spittle inside the mask and keeps other's people spittle away from me.

Since the masks passed those tests, I did not do the burn test, so I would have to destroy the mask.

Below are the five tests to tell part a good surgical mask from a bad one:

1. Light penetration
The real mask does not let the light through; the fake mask lets the light through.

2. Blow out a flame
You cannot blow out a flame through a real mask; you can flow out a flame through a fake face mask.

3. Hold water
The real mask holds water, the fake mask leaks.

4. Burn test
The filter in the real mask melts but does not burn; the filter in the fake mask burns with a flame.

5. Electrostatic attraction test
The real mask attracts particles; a fake mask does not.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Ear Wax Removal Kit, Alitake Ear Irrigation Kit LED Ear Cleaning Kit Earwax Removal Tool Ear Flush Kit Earwax Remover and Cleaner for Improved Hearing for Adults & Kids

 

I normally clear wax out of my ear with a Murine oil and bulb syringe.  This wax removal kit allows me to replace the bulb with a spray bottle with a tube, so I can spray longer without refilling the bulb.  The spray from the bottle is gentle, and it comes with less force than I normally get from a bulb. It also comes out in a smaller/thinner stream.  This is probably good for young kids; for me, the old Murine Bulb works better.

I bought the kit for the spray bottle with attachment; I do not use picks as my doctor told me to avoid using them to avoid injuries to the ear drum.

The part of the kit that I like most is the basin designed to fit around your ear. I like it because it allows me to keep my head straight rather than tilting my head over the sink.  It can be used with this kit or with the Murine wax removal drops and bulb.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Ponek Monthly Pill Organizer, 31 daily pill boxes

 

The size of the entire tray with daily boxes is 9.75" x 3.75."
The size of each box is 3" long,1" wider, and 5/8" deep.

I really love having 30 days of meds ready to go, so I don't have to think about it every day.  However, this great organizer has a couple of shortcomings.
1. The pills are easy to pop up.  They pop up because they are not seeded firmly (fall out of you turn the tray upside down) and because the bottom is open, so when I carry it, my fingers unintentionally pop up the pills where I hold the tray. I wish they were in some container to make it easier to move it around.  It would also be helpful if I wanted to take it for a long on a trip. To prevent easy pop-ups, I found a carton box to protect the pillboxes from moving when I touch them from the bottom.  I use it as a tray under the pillbox tray.

2. I wish I could flip each box to face backward when I am done with that day's pills.  This would make it easier to keep track of what was used and what is left.  However, that is impossible to insert them any other way because they have a notch on one side and can only be placed with the label forward.

3.  The compartments are not large enough for my morning supplements (each compartment is 1.5" long, 1" wide, and 5/8" deep, so I use both AM and PM side for each day, mixing up am and pm pills to fit all daily pills.

To summarize my wishes for a future version of this pill case:
(1) a carrying tray solid base or a case
(2) an ability to flip empty boxes to face the back of the tray

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: P PADDYFIELD Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser Himalayan Salt Lamp

 

 This is a small diffuser; it is 6 inches tall and 4.5 inches across.  It feels a little cheap; the parts did not fit as smoothly as I expected.  It generates a small evaporation stream.  If you are looking to humidify the air and generate a pleasant scent, this diffuser is a bit too small for this.

The diffuser has a manual on and off button; it shuts off when it exhausts the water supply. It is totally silent.

The instructions state that the diffuser needs to be cleaned every 5-6 uses.  Although the cleaning instructions are simpler than other diffusers I have used (for example, there is no reference to cleaning using citric acid).

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆