Mommy Has to Work

Hard Candy Blooming Lip Oil Review

April 26, 2017 By Merrilee Kaminski

HARD CANDY BLOOMING LIP OIL REVIEW

Color changing products are extremely popular right now, so when I was given the opportunity to review Hard Candy’s new Blooming Lip Oils, I said “Bring it on!”

The lip oils are packed with 10+ essential oils and are one of those magical color changing lip products that react with the PH of your lips to produce a hue that is unique to you. The lip gloss is easy to apply due to its doe foot applicator.

Available in three colors:

Black Rose – transforms from black to a bright pink tint

Calming Peach – transforms from clear to coral

Zen Strawberry – transforms from clear to rosy pink

The first color I tried was Black Rose. To be honest, I was horrified at my black lips…for about 20 seconds. Right before my eyes, the scary black color morphed into the loveliest shade of pink. Black Rose was the only color I received to review, but I was so impressed with it, I went to Walmart and purchased the other two colors so I could do a proper, more in depth review.

These lip oils are silky and smooth. The gloss stays around for about 3 hours, but what you are left with is beautifully hydrated lips and a gentle stain. This stuff really lives up to the claims of hydrating for up to 8 hours.

Lips without any color:

Lips with Calming Peach:

Lips with Zen Strawberry:

Lips with Black Rose:

Final Stain Left on the lips:

Here is what Hard Candy has to say about their product:

Blooming Lip Oil is a hydrating oil-gel lip treatment that quenches and hydrates dry, chapped lips for up to 8 hours. This formula instantly melts onto the lips, coating them in a blend of hydrating oils. The result is an extremely shiny finish in a shade that adjusts to your body chemistry. By interacting with your body’s pH levels, you will see a uniquely adjusted shade every time. The shades adjust to translucent and natural hues that tint lips for hours so you never need to re-apply. This lip oil-gel formula is fully packed with more than 10 essential oils that penetrate deep beneath the surface to nourish your lips. The oils repair and heal dry, parched lips and protect them from chapping.

If you’re a lip gloss lover, it really is worth checking these out! Available for $6 exclusively at Wal-Mart.

Always full disclosure here! Although some items are sent for review, compensation of any kind is never accepted in exchange for a positive review. All opinions expressed are always my own and not edited by any companies mentioned.

Merrilee Kaminski

3 Business Ideas for Busy Moms

April 26, 2017 By Anne

It isn’t easy being a mother and we all know that it’s a full-time job. However, once those initial years are gone, you may just find a little more time on your hands than you are used to by now. If you are thinking about going back to your job but worried at the same time about restarting your career after such a long break, then know that you may not really have to go through those grueling hours ever again. Instead, you can start a business from home to work according to your own convenience, while never really being away from your family. It would help though if you had a bit more knowledge about business and marketing in general, and you can do that from the convenience of your home too. Just get an online MSM degree from the highly praised New England College and at the end of the course, you should be able to turn any venture into a profitable business in no time.

Blogging

It is a somewhat saturated field but nevertheless, blogging continues to be one of the prime sources of income for stay-at-home moms. Choose a topic that you have both knowledge and interest in and post content to your blog regularly. Once the blog begins to pick up, your earnings will come via affiliate marketing, advertisements, and product promotions primarily. However, in order for it to pick up in an extremely competitive market, SEO optimization, social media marketing, guest posting and other forms of content marketing might be necessary.

Virtual Assistant

The job of a VA is to provide assistance to businesses primarily in terms of marketing, technical support and running administration. This is one of those jobs where you will get the best opportunities if you complete an online master of science in marketing management and put it on your CV. The advantage of being a VA is that instead of being tied down to a full-time job for just one person or company, you will have the opportunity to work for multiple companies and get paid for every hour that you provide them with your services; not to mention, you will be doing all that from the comfort of your home and your own laptop.

Food Business

This one requires a lot more funding than the two ideas above and getting a food license for operating a food business from home can be a tricky affair. However, once you acquaint yourself well with the rules and regulations that govern the prerequisites of getting the license and manage to invest some money into your business, a bakery or something similar can be a very profitable business, especially if you are good at cooking. Of course, great packaging is extremely important, and can really help to sell your goods. For instance, The Packaging Lab offers custom candy packaging and printed candy bags that not only safely store your food but look attractive and will grab your customer’s attention too! Then, when the business starts to see some profits, you can hire someone to help you so that you can get even more time for yourself.

In case you would like some more options, don’t worry because there are plenty! You could be opening up a child day care facility if you have sufficient spare space in your house. If creativity is your forte, then you could use your artistic skills to make and sell unique gift items or art online.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Children and Jewelry: Avoid Making These Health Mistakes

April 25, 2017 By Anne

Ear piercing has become an unspoken global rite of passage for girls. In some cultures, the practice of ear piercing is performed during infancy. In the U.K., the average age for ear piercing is seven, while in the U.S. the most popular time for piercing varies but usually hits during the impressionable pre-teen years.

My first ear piercing was in kindergarten…I was five, and I’m actually still donning those original studs (faux opals!). In kindergarten, all my friends were getting their ears pierced. Many sported tiny gold hearts and stars. I still remember going to the jewelry store, picking out my first pair of earrings and having two ladies (one on each ear) shooting those studs in my ear. I honestly don’t remember the pain, but I know I cried. I can say that the stress of piercing was much worse for my second set of holes…in my adult years!

In an article for Vogue, writer Patricia Garcia discussed the pressure she felt in having her infant daughter’s ears pierced. In Latina culture, Garcia said that the tradition is to pierce the ears in early infancy, and the piercing usually happens in the hospital. Garcia’s own piercing was performed during her first days of life, and her family expected the same for Garcia’s daughter (who also received many gifts of earrings!). Garcia’s interviews within the article reveal that infant ear piercing also is a cultural norm in the Sephardic Jewish tradition. And, sometimes, infant piercing has nothing to do with culture, but, rather parents’ personal preference.

Ear piercing during infancy and toddlerhood, however, means that the piercing care falls to the parents—not the child. Piercings require daily care—especially as the holes are healing. For many parents, the care isn’t an issue. And the care of the piercing seems to pale in comparison to the thought of their child remembering the pain of the piercing.

Caring for jewelry and piercing holes must be a priority for those who elect to have ears (or any body part) pierced. Dirty jewelry creates a breeding ground for bacteria and increasing the risk of infection. For parents opting for early piercings for their little ones, or for parents whose kids love their jewelry, follow these guidelines to ensure good hygiene, proper care and to help lower the risk of infections and skin sensitivities or irritation.

Opt for Surgical Steel

Many people have sensitivities to certain metals, and, unfortunately, discovering those sensitivities is through trial and error. Ear piercings should first be performed using surgical steel posts. This type of metal is typically hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive ears.

Keep All Earrings Spotless

Earrings end up with smelly mucky gunk when they are worn for too long and not cleaned. New piercings cannot be removed for a designated period to ensure the holes don’t close, so be sure kids disinfect around the piercing and wipe off the earrings! Use rubbing alcohol or witch hazel. When ears are healed, remove earrings and clean them thoroughly…scrub out all the gunk from the backs, too. Never allow kids to sleep in hoops or other larger earrings…they will irritate the holes!

Rings

A child’s jewelry collection isn’t limited to earrings! Keep rings clean, too. And be sure to opt for natural metals…like sterling silver. Plated metals can leave a green residue on the finger. To clean rings, soak in mild dish detergent and then scrub gently with a toothbrush. Make sure to get all the debris out of nooks and crannies. Any residues from soaps, lotions and even dirt and dust can irritate the skin and cause itching and discomfort.

Necklaces & Bracelets

Most kids usually don’t have many issues with their necklaces or bracelets, but you should help kids keep them clean in order to avoid skin irritants from building up on metals. Again, soak in a mild dish soap and use a soft toothbrush to wipe away any build-up and grime.

For many young ladies, pierced ears are not only a rite of passage but also a cultural tradition. Piercings must be kept clean to keep bacteria away and decrease infection risk. But while earrings and piercing sites must be sanitized, don’t forget the rest of the jewelry box! Skin irritation and infection isn’t just limited to piercings but anywhere that comes into contact with jewelry. Parents should help kids wipe and disinfect all jewelry to preserve the life of metals and protect sensitive skin.

“Megan Scott is a writer and mother of two beautiful twins. She wants to use her knowledge and expertise to help others lead a better life. Her hobbies include writing, long distance running and travelling with her beloved family. Follow her on twitter as @meganscotts!”

Anne

Nickelodeon RUGRATS Seasons 1 & 2 Available on DVD May 2nd!! Review & Giveaway

April 23, 2017 By Marijean

NICKELODEON’S ICONIC BABIES ARRIVE ON DVD

IN THESE SPECIAL FULL-SEASON COLLECTIONS

RUGRATS: SEASON 1

&

RUGRATS: SEASON 2

Each Season Available on DVD May 2, 2017

A baby’s gotta do what a baby’s gotta do in the all-new DVD releases of Rugrats: Season 1 & Rugrats: Season 2. Told from the perspective of a group of adventurous and imaginative toddlers, Rugrats transformed the most mundane activities into unforgettable adventures. Led by fearless leader Tommy Pickles, the gang can turn an ordinary trip to the park into a journey across the Sahara in search of water, a visit to the plant nursery into a jungle trek to find a cure for “jungle beaver,” or a search for cookies into a prehistoric fantasy. Together, there’s no adventure too big and no problem they can’t solve… or at least nothing that a good nap won’t help.

Rugrats premiered on Nickelodeon in 1991 and is beloved by millennials as one of their favorite childhood TV shows. With heartfelt and adventurous stories, Rugrats: Season 1 & Rugrats: Season 2 are sure to fill the nostalgic hearts of fans who grew up with the show as well as bring new joy and excitement to a younger generation. Episodes of Rugrats currently air on Nickelodeon’s daily ’90s programming TV block, “The Splat,” from 10pm-6am (ET/PT) on TeenNick.

Rugrats: Season 1 & Rugrats: Season 2 will be available individually on May 2 from Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution. Rugrats: Season 1 contains 25 episodes on two discs and Rugrats: Season 2 contains 51 episodes – over ten hours – on four discs. At the price of $14.99 and $19.99 respectively, Rugrats: Season 1 & Rugrats: Season 2 will be a welcome addition to any family looking for a little throwback fun and adventure.

Rugrats: Season 1 includes the following episodes:

DISC 1:

Tommy’s First Birthday

Barbeque Story

Waiter, There’s A Baby In My Soup

At The Movies

Slumber Party

Baby Commercial

Little Dude

Beauty Contest

Baseball

Ruthless Tommy

Moose Country

Grandpa’s Teeth

Momma Trauma

DISC 2:

Real Or Robots?

Special Delivery

Candy Bar Creep Show

Monster In The Garage

Weaning Tommy

Incident In Aisle Seven

Touch-Down Tommy

The Trial

Fluffy vs. Spike

Reptar’s Revenge

Graham Canyon

Stu-Maker’s Elves

Rugrats: Season 2 includes the following episodes:

DISC 1:

Toy Palace

Sand Ho!

Chuckie Versus The Potty

Together At Last

The Big House

The Shot

Showdown At Teeter-Totter Gulch

Mirrorland

Angelica’s In Love

Ice Cream Mountain

Regarding Stuie

Garage Sale

Let There Be Light

The Bank Trick

DISC 2:

Family Reunion

Grandpa’s Date

No Bones About It

Beach Blanket Babies

Reptar On Ice

Family Feud

Superhero Chuckie

The Dog Broomer

Aunt Miriam

The Inside Story

A Visit From Lipschitz

What The Big People Do

The Santa Experience

DISC 3:

Visitors From Outer Space

The Case Of The Missing Rugrat

Chuckie Loses His Glasses

Chuckie Gets Skunked

Rebel Without A Teddy Bear

Angelica The Magnificent

Meet The Carmichaels

The Box

Down The Drain

Let Them Eat Cake

The Seven Voyages Of Cynthia

My Friend Barney

DISC 4:

Feeding Hubert

Spike The Wonder Dog

The Slide

The Big Flush

King Ten Pin

Runaway Angelica

Game Show Didi

Toys In The Attic

Driving Miss Angelica

Susie vs. Angelica

Tooth Or Dare

Party Animals

Rugrats: Season 1 Fast Facts:

Street Date: May 2, 2017

Catalogue: 59186621000 (US); 59186622000 (CAN)

S.R.P.: $14.99

DVD Running Time: 316 minutes

Rugrats: Season 2 Fast Facts:

Street Date: May 2, 2017

Catalogue: 59186623000 (US); 59186624000 (CAN)

S.R.P.: $19.99

DVD Running Time: 657 minutes

I still remember when I was little watching Rugrats! It was one of my favorite shows on tv to watch. My all time favorite character is Angelica! I am so excited that Seasons 1 and 2 have been released on DVD! The graphics are amazing, much better than I can remember on tv! Now my 8 and 5 year old can enjoy Rugrats at home and in the car when we travel! Your children will love these episodes as much as you did when you were a child.

****GIVEAWAY****

Enter to win Seasons 1 and 2 of Rugrats on DVD!! U.S. residents only, giveaway ends on 5/5!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 37th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

About Paramount Home Media Distribution

Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and applicable licensing and servicing of certain DreamWorks Animation titles. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

How to Cope with Home Renovations when You Have Kids

April 18, 2017 By Anne

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Coping with a major home renovation project is never much fun at the best of times, but if you have small children, the stress is magnified by a thousand. As adults, we can learn to live with no hot water, no electricity, and no internet, but for kids, the novelty of having no TV or games console access soon wears off. If your kids are at school, it won’t be quite so bad, as they won’t be around through the day, but if you have pre-school kids, you are in for a rocky ride. Here are some useful tips to help you cope with the extra stress of renovating a property and managing children.

Hire Reputable Tradesmen

Home renovation problems are often caused by incompetent tradesmen. It’s always better to go with a personal recommendation when hiring tradesmen. However, if this is not an option, read reviews on local tradesmen before you make a hiring decision. Most people are quick to leave negative reviews if they have had a bad experience, so scour social media and Google the name of anyone that you are considering hiring for a project.

Find out What the Job Entails

Speak to your contractor before work begins and ask for a detailed timetable of what you have in store. Any contractor worth their reputation will be happy to discuss the project in greater detail so you can plan around for the different stages of the job. For example, if you are having a new kitchen fitted and you won’t have hot water or cooking facilities for a week, it is better to know in advance so you can make alternative arrangements.

Kids are usually happy to eat at fast-food restaurants, but this will soon wear thin if you are looking to save some cash. In some cases, it might be a good idea to vacate the property for a while, in which case you need to find somewhere else to live. However, unless you speak to the contractor, you won’t have a clue until the power goes off or the toilet is ripped out and you are left high and dry.

Plan the Project Carefully

Try to do as much forward planning as is humanly possible. Choosing new appliances, ceramic floor tiles, and even paint colours takes time. You also need to find your tradesmen early, as they can book up months in advance. Utilise sites such as MyJobQuote to quickly connect with tradespeople in your local area, saving you time and ensuring high-quality workmanship. The more you can do and plan before the start date, the faster the renovation will be completed.

Be Aware of Safety Issues

Renovating a home with kids around is difficult from a safety perspective. Young children are curious and completely immune to the dangers of power tools and other dangers. Keep your children out of harm’s way at all times and never let them play in a work area unsupervised until the project has been completed.

Lastly, consider moving out to speed things up. It’s a lot easier to get the work done if you are not living on-site. Take a holiday or go and stay with friends or relatives to minimise stress.