Product review: Rising Sun Premium Japanese Exfoliating Washcloth

 This product is one cloth sized 11" by 39", made out of prickly synthetic fibers.  The rough finish helps to remove dirt and dead skin cells.  The towel is long enough that I can wash my back with it.  Once covered with suds, it is very gentle. I prefer a more vigorous wash with a bristled brush.

The towel is missing a loop for hanging so it can dry.  I had to do some sewing to fix this problem.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Review of Rising Sun Premium Japanese Exfoliating Washcloth

Product review: AD RescueWear Tencel Eczema Shirt

 

This shirt is tight but stretchy.  It gives a very snug fit. Most of the seams are flat, although the threads that hold the seams down are cotton and rougher than the rest of the material. Feels overpriced at $65.

Ali Julia review

Review of AD RescueWear Tencel Eczema Shirt

Product review: Pour Over Coffee Maker by Unbreakable

 

 I love this style of the coffee maker.  This unit replaced a very similar coffee maker that I have been using for the last ten years.  What happened to the old coffee maker?  The filter became a bit too clogged (despite my attempts at cleaning it), and the coffee drips very slowly.  

The new filter and carafe work very well.  The coffee flavor is perfect!  I have tried many other coffee-making methods, and this one is by far my favorite.

Note that the carafe is NOT unbreakable, "Unbreakable" is the name of the company selling this coffee maker.  The handle of this carafe is very thin (thinner than the old unit, which is precisely the same size), so I am keeping the old carafe just in case this carafe breaks.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Durelife Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener

 

Monk Fruit sweetener is my favorite cane sugar substitute. It has the most "natural" flavor and does not cause me any digestive discomfort. However, you should know that it is less sweet than regular cane sugar. To my taste buds, one teaspoon of Monk fruit sweetener is NOT equal to one teaspoon of sugar. The other obvious negative is that it is much more expensive than cane sugar.

For my morning coffee, I mix natural sugar cane and Monk Fruit sweeter to lower the sugar level and decrease the price of the sweetener I use for each cup.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★       

Review of  Durelife Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener

Product review: Dry Ice for Coolers, Dry Ice Packs by We4Life

 This product comes as ten flat sheets of dry ice, each sheet has 12 cells that are partially filled with powdered dry ice.  You must soak the sheets in water and place them in the freezer for 8 hours.  

The thickness of the cells expands as soon as you soak the sheets.   The instructions  say that a couple of minutes of soaking results in thin, flexible sheets, 5-7 minutes of soaking generates fuller, less flexible cells.  However, my cells immediately blew up to be very large and thick.  I was never able to get thin pliable  cells, even if I soaked them for less than a minute. These packs last longer than ice.  We used them to bring food to a picnic a few hours away from when we purchased the food, and the packs did a good job.  The food stayed cold for over 8 hours in 95 °F heat.  Note that the packs stay inflated once they get soaks.  The packs sweat as they cool.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Review of Dry Ice for Coolers, Dry Ice Packs by We4Life

Product review: SUPRUS Rechargeable Rotary Shaver

 

 This is a small portable rotary razor. I think it might be too small for guys with a lot of hair, but a nice shaver for a woman who has just a few spots she might want to touch up.

It comes with a mini USB charging cable (not type-C). The cable is very short. I am using my own cable, which has a longer length and is more convenient. This rotary shaver is not waterproof.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Stryke Club Wipes, Pacific Scent

 Good:
1. Good closure (plastic closure on top of a sticky tab)
2. Good thickness and texture of the wipe
3. Good wetness (not too dry or too wet)
4. Good size; each wipe is 7.5" x 7.5"

Bad:
1. Not unscented! Even though under scent Amazon description states "unscented," my box was labeled as "pacific scent," and the scent is very unpleasant (it is medicinal, with some menthol in it too). I wound up washing each wipe to remove the scent and moved them to a wet wipes dispenser.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Review of Stryke Club Wipes, Pacific Scent

Product review: Vickoneer Intimate Feminine Wash

 This cleanser is an effective wash. Even though Amazon's description stated that "Scent: unscented," it has a scent.  Unpleasant and strong rose scent.  It comes in a medium-size bottle with 8.5 fl oz of the cleanser.

The instructions say to pour some in your hand, lather into foam, and then cleanse. But this is NOT how I use it. I use the wash by adding a small amount into a manual bidet. One squirt for 12 oz bidet. Adding water to the bidet generates the foam and is ready to use. This way, it lasts long, provides an excellent wash, and keeps my hands dry.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Review of Vickoneer Intimate Feminine Wash

Product review: Eyelove Heyedrate Eyelid Wipes - Eyelash and Facial Scrub

 

 These wipes are 4" by 2.5" and made from soft textured paper. They come individually wrapped in a foil envelope and had good wetness, not too wet and not too dry. They remove makeup well but leave the skin oily and shiny. Further more, they also sting my eyes if oil gets into the eyes.
I purchase eyelid wipes regularly, and the price of $1 per wipe is relatively high, and they hurt  my eyes.    

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★☆☆☆

Product review: V.Step Mesh Slippers with Arch Support, Orthopedic Clog Sandals

 I am writing this review after one week of wearing these slippers daily. I would describe the arch support as high. It took several days to get used to the clogs' high support. My feet still get a bit tired wearing them for a long time after a week of daily use.  

I have many shoes with arch support, so I have a good basis for comparison. I would have preferred more gentle arches.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Choi 2.6 Gallon Small Garbage Bag

 

 The volume of unknown brands of trash bags does not always match my expectation. So to give you an idea of the size of the bag, I compared it to a 4-gallon Glad bag. This bag is significantly smaller and thinner. However, it has handles which the Glad 4-gallon trash bag does not.

This bag is 14 inches at the top (near the handles) and then tapers to a point. The bag's depth is 14 inches if measured from the top of the bag (not counting handles) to the deepest point on the bottom. As it spreads at the bottom of the trash bin, it loses height depending on the width of the bin. When I use in a 10-inch bin, the bag leaves no overlap at the top other than the handles.

The bag is thin, so it works for soft trash like tissues and wet wipes in the bathroom. The bag is waterproof; it keeps wet wipes without letting them soak through.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: KUNELL PAPO Soil Test Kit for Moisture, pH level, light

 

The most important part of the review first: This probe helped find that the  soil in my garden is too acid, and I need to lime it.  Is the probe perfect? No.  Details below.

This mechanical meter allows you to switch between testing moisture, light, and PH balance. It has a built-in battery, which cannot be changed. The switch is cumbersome to use; the dial is hard to see when you insert it straight down. After having trouble seeing the values, I found that it was best to insert the probes at an angle, so the dial faces up.

To test the soil, you need to insert the probe two to four inches and leave it in the soil for 10 minutes according to the instructions.  However, I found that the value does not change after a few seconds. Before I bought the probe, I thought I would permanently leave it on the ground, but the instructions said that you must remove the probe after the test and clean it.

A pH of 6.5 is ideal for growing vegetables; the range from pH 6.0 to 7.0 is acceptable for vegetables. If the soil pH level is below 5.5 or above 7.5, soil treatment or modification often is necessary. Acid soil is 3.5-8 pH level, Alkaline soil is 7-8 pH level. For low pH level (below 5.5), one needs to apply lime to soil.  I am using chicken poop pellets, which work similar to lime.

I noticed that pH level value changed after I watered the plants. Water has a neutral pH level, so it temporarily raises the soil's pH level. As you see in the attached video,  the tester showed that my soil was too acidic, and I needed to apply lime.  You can also see how watering temporary improved the pH level.

Settings:

Acid soil is 3.5-8 pH level
Alkaline soil is 7-8 pH level

Moisture level dry 1-3
Moisture level normal 4-7
Moisture level wet 8-10

Light level low 0-200 Lux
Light level low+ 200-500 Lux
Light level normal 500-1000 Lux
Light level high 1000-2000 Lux

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

Review of KUNELL PAPO Soil Test Kit for Moisture

Product review: Goya Foods Luncheon Meat - Great if you need a laxative

 

The Goya luncheon meat tastes pretty good. It is very similar to Hormel's SPAM. It is a bit salty on its own but mixed with vegetables, the salt content is just right.

What I did not expect is that it is a very effective laxative. About 30 minutes after consuming it, it provides a total clean-out of the system. I felt very refreshed. There is no gas or stomach pain, just a loose, watery stool. But make sure there are enough bathrooms for each person consuming the meal because there will be a competition for facilities.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: African Black Soap Cleanser

 

This soap has a pleasant scent; it reminds me of warm cocoa.  It has a watery consistency, and the soap does not generate much foam.  I think it works better as hand soap.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆  

Product review: FavorKit Pasta Maker Attachment for KitchenAid

 

 Home-made pasta tastes good! This pasta roller and cutter make the job easier. The attachment fits the KitchenAid mixer perfectly. Making pasta does take some practice. As you see in my video, my pasta is not perfect, but I hope it will improve with more practice. One needs to learn the consistency that dough should be before you put it on the roller; you need to dust it enough with flour it will stick (and those rollers are a bit hard to clean). You need to roll the dough strips on a thick-ish setting a couple of times, make the setting thinner, and do it a couple of times. Cleaning is easy, provided the dough was floured well. Instructions say not to immerse in water. I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't put it in the dishwasher.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: TOCOBO AHA BHA Lemon Facial Toner150mL

 I love how this facial toner smells - a nice fresh lemon scent. It cleans well, and I enjoy how it smells while I am cleaning.

I wondered if the bulky cap would feel odd, but it is actually effortless to grab and turn. If you are looking for a cleanser for someone with arthritis, this cap will work really well.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★