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 ★★★☆☆