Vendome Beaute for a Beautiful Holiday!

We love makeup and trying new products. Vendome Beaute sent us some amazing eye shadows for review and we are having such a blast with their wide array of colors!

Each individual shadow come in this beautiful, French inspired box! I think the boxes along make them the most perfect gift for anyone that loves France, especially Paris!

The individual palettes are purchases separately, and come in many different colors.

You can purchase a palette for them. I love that each palette can be really specific to the user, and can be swapped out depending on the season!

They are really simple to put in and take out. They just stick right in, and you just pop them right out.

What a truly wonderful gift for the holiday season!

MamaBreak received Vendome Beaute products to review here on the site. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own. This post may contain affiliate links. 

Johnsonville Sizzling Sausage Grill Review

Are you looking for a gift for the cook or chef in your life? How about a busy mom? We received the Johnsonville Sizzling Sausage Grill for review this year, and we are loving it! The perfect addition to any kitchen.

The Johnsonville Sizzling Sausage Grill looks beautiful and is the perfect item for grilling sausages. We love it because grilling outdoors is NOT an option year round. We also eat sausage ALL the time!

It is super fun to use! It makes 5 sausages at once, and is quick and easy!

MamaBreak received a grill to review here on the website. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own. 

I See Me Books for Christmas

Are you looking for the perfect gift for that little one in your life? We love I See Me Books and received one to review this holiday season.

I See Me has SO many products you can personalize. From books to gifts, there is something for everyone at their online store.

The best part? A gift card to the I See Me website is the perfect gift! The child in your life can create their own book personalizing with their name, their pet's name, and more! It is such a fun activity!



MamaBreak received an I See Me book to review here on the website. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own. 

Inivisibobble to stuff your stockings

Looking for some fantastic and unique stocking stuffers? We received Invisibobble's Holiday Collection to review and we are in love with these unique hair accessories!

They are so easy to use and perfect for small gift giving. They come in these adorable boxes in packs of three, so perfect for the stocking.

I have been wearing them for about a week and I have noticed a difference in my headaches usually caused by pulling back my hair!

At just $7.95 in stores, they are a great way to brighten someone's holiday.

MamaBreak received products to review here on the website. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own!

MASTERPIX for Beautiful Holiday Gifts

We love gift giving personalized gifts! I especially love giving parents/ grandparents photo gifts. We recently received a beautiful glass photo from MASTERPIX for review, and it is stunning.




















I do not think photos of these glass photos do them justice. They are so stunning in person, and are sure to impress everyone on your gift list. They even come with their own stand!

Do you know a couple who got married this past year? What a great gift to give the new couple! Just take one of their photos and have it placed on glass.

MASTERPIX did a beautiful job with my photo, and I received it quickly. 

MamaBreak received an item from MASTERPIX to review here on the website. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own. 

Everclear for your Holiday Parties

We are always looking for new ways to add a little something extra to our holiday parties. When Everclear asked us to try some of their delicious new recipes for review we knew we had to try them.
                                            


Our favorite recipe HAS to be the cranberry spice moonshine! From the Everclear page:

CRANBERRY SPICE MOONSHINE

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh or frozen cranberries6 cinnamon sticks1 teaspoon whole cloves½ teaspoon whole allspice berries2 whole nutmeg, quartered3 cups apple cider½ gallon cranberry juice1 (750 ml) bottle Evercleafr®

1. Roughly chop cranberries, combine with Everclear® in a large, sealable container
2. Steep one week in the refrigerator.
3. Once steeped, combine cranberry juice, cider and spices in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let sit another 30 minutes or until cool.
5. Strain both mixtures into a large, sealable container.
6. Gift and enjoy responsibly. May be served warm or chilled.

Please use caution when making this delicious holiday beverage. Everclear® is highly flammable, so it and the cranberry infusion should be kept away from the stovetop or other heat sources. Once it’s been diluted with the cranberry juice and cider mixture, it can be safely heated.

If a more intense spice flavor is desired, you can increase the quantity of spices or mull time.

MamaBreak received Everclear products to share here on the website. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experience and opinions are our own. 

Successful Philanthropy Review

*sponsored post below*

Are you looking for a gift for the IMPOSSIBLE person to buy for? I was stuck on what to get my brother for the holidays. He has basically everything he wants, and what do you get the person that has everything?

We received Successful Philanthropy to review on MamaBreak and we are loving this book. We loved the inspirational tone in the book, but it also gives some really practical advice.

What makes this book perfect is that it is perfect gift for someone who has everything-- it teaches them how to give back to the world around them, and there is no greater gift than the gift of giving. We are making a gift with this book extra special by including a donation in the person's name to a charity!


MamaBreak received a copy of the book to review here on the website. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own. 
This post contains affiliate links. 

Give Back with Gifts from St. Baldrick's Foundation

*sponsored post below*

Are you struggling with what to buy for that person who has everything? I know I do every year. I love giving gifts that give back to foundations that are important to me.

St. Baldrick's Foundation has has raised over $200 million dollars that goes to childhood cancer research! I cannot think of a more worthy cause. And they have gifts for everyone on your list.

We received this adorable teddy bear to review here on the blog. It is soft and perfect for any child (or adult) in your life!

They also have hats, coffee mugs, tote bags and much, much more.

ALL proceeds goes to this amazing foundation!


MamaBreak received an item featured here in our review. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own.

Softsoap for the Holidays

*sponsored post below*

Well, the holiday season is upon us, as is colder weather! I know my skin has been incredibly dry since the air has gotten colder!




















I am loving these new body washes from Softsoap! They contain oil which is so helpful when you have dry skin! The wash has never left a residue on my skin, but my skin looks and feels so much softer! And the smell is incredible!

The best part? Softsoap can be found at many retailers near you, and are well priced! They are the perfect item to add to a gift basket for almost everyone on your gift list this holiday season!

It's Cold Outside-- Time to Get Nasal Relief

Have the stuffy noses hit your house yet? I know they have hit mine! Wow! It is so hard to remind the kids to blow their noses. Saline is a MUST have product in our home, and Simply Saline is our go to product. When they asked us to review, we knew we had to tell all our mama readers all about them.

Simply Saline is easy to use on even the tiniest of noses. Before I had kids, I didn't realize that blowing one's nose is actually a SKILL that needs to be learned. Simply Saline keeps those noses from getting dry, so less runny noses all season long.

I love these swabs. My youngest hates things being squirted up her nose, she these swabs are the perfect solution. They are also great for the really, really tiny noses!

Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Line

It's unfortunately about that time of the year again. Time for itchy heads. If you are anything like me, you freak out at the first mention of head lice! I am thrilled to be able to partner with Fairy Tales, because it truly is one of my go to mom products.

I constantly hear from people that there is no way to prevent head lice. Let me tell you right now that it is NOT TRUE. Did you know that Rosemary Repel Shampoo and Conditioning Spray were shown to be 96% effective at repelling lice when used together. 96%!!!

We use Fairy Tale every day in our house. If someone takes a shower or a bath, it is Fairy Tales they use on their heads. ALWAYS. It is a mild shampoo and conditioner, and the kids actually love it.

When there is an actual outbreak at their school, I just spray them down with hairspray or use the hair gel before school. They wash their hair about every 2-3 days after school (remember-- lice like clean hair). The gel and hairspray have never left their hair sticky at all.

If you do get lice, the Fairy Tales Lice Good-Bye Survival Kit is your go to product (and yes we keep one at the house just in case).

Truly, if you want to beat the super lice this year, get Fairy Tales!

StriVectin Hair

*sponsored post below*

As you all know, we LOVE StriVectin here at MamaBreak, and we love their line of hair care products almost as much as their skin care products.

I chose to review the StriVectin Hair for Max volume because my hair is really flat and thin. I need all the help I can get!

They have a full line of hair care products for almost every hair need!

And this stuff REALLY works! It made my hair so full and thick, it was having a whole new head of hair!

MamaBreak received StriVectin products to review here on the site. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own. 

Lava Lamps String Lights: Perfect for Locker Flair!

Are you looking for a way to add a little fun to your child's locker? Lockers in junior high are a HUGE deal, and decorating them can be so much fun! I was thrilled to be sent some Lava Lamps String Lights for review here on the blog!

Aren't they the most beautiful color? They are actually color changing, and makes a nice addition to any small space!

I love that the battery compartment is small, but accessible! Easy for my teen to replace the batteries as needed. You can also turn them off and on!

They come in a really neat package-- in a cylinder, which would be tons of fun to wrap and give as a gift!



MamaBreak received a product to review here on the website. They did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own. 

SkinnyPop Popcorn Review

Still looking for a healthy and delicious snack your kids will devour at snack time? I know the drill-- you find a healthy snack, put it in their backpack, and see it there after school. My kids are the pickiest eaters and it drives me CRAZY!!!! We were thrilled to work with SkinnyPop popcorn and are so excited to bring them to MamaBreak for review

I tried SkinnyPop popcorn for the first time this past summer. As many of you know, I am on the Trim Healthy Mama diet, and this is an approved snack! It has natural ingredients, low carbs, no added sugar, and low fat. I know what you are thinking-- how can it possibly taste good then?

Well, it DOES!!! It is so delicious! I bought a box of the individual bags for myself and they kept disappearing. My kids kept stealing them like crazy. All THREE of my children are crazy about SkinnyPop popcorn, and so am I!

I love that it is a delicious snack that can be enjoyed by our entire family. We can send it to school every day, and the kids love it! It is a nice, light, healthy snack that the whole family will love.



MamaBreak received SkinnyPop popcorn to review here on the website. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own.

Colgate Optic White Toothbrush Review

This back to school business is no joke! I wish I had more "me" time in the morning. We run all around the house getting ready, and I love any product that makes things just a little simpler for us! I was recently sent a Colgate Optic White Toothbrush with built in whitener for review, and I love it!

The toothbrush comes with a whitener pen, and it works like a charm.

The toothbrush itself has a nice texture to it, and it really cleans my teeth with the different textures and shapes of the brush head. It even reaches between my teeth really well. 

The brush comes with a whitening pen, which I have found lasts about 1-2 months (depending on how often you use it). The thing about whitening pens is that I always forget about them. I BARELY have time in the morning to brush, but to remember to whiten as well? I almost always forget! 

This brush takes the time and energy it takes to find the whitening pen by keeping it right in the bottom of the brush itself. You just slide it in. 

And then it creates the bottom of the toothbrush! How easy. It does remind me to whiten each day, and my teeth are so thankful! 

MamaBreak received a toothbrush to review here on the website. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own. This post may contain affiliate links. 

SoftSoap to Make Hand Washing Fun

Its back to school time which means plenty more germs and the start of the cold and flu season. We ALREADY have stuffy noses. Did you know that one of the best ways to avoid getting ill is frequent hand washing? But in the MamaBreak house, hand washing is not something the kids enjoy. The kids were so excited when they saw SoftSoap in the mail though that we received for review.

Who DOESN'T want to wash their hands with Anna and Elsa or with Yoda? The kids loved the characters on the front of and I love that they were excited about washing their hands.

And I don't know what it is about the foam soap, but the kids think it is so much fun! It looks fun, and they are washing their hands like champs!

MamaBreak received SoftSoap to review here on the website. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own. 

Tylenol and Teething Tips

*sponsored post below*

Wow! Check out this amazingly adorable teething kit we received from Tylenol!

We love that Tylenol has teamed up with Operation Smile to help children in developing countries!

It only took us a couple of minutes to create our photo and we love knowing that we are helping out children all around the world! You have until September 30th to create your card! 

Not sure if your child is teething? Here are some tips from Dr. Tanya Altmann, best-selling author and parenting expert.

Your baby may be:

• Acting a little cranky

• Crying

• Drooling

• Wanting to chew on hard things

• Having puffy, sore gums around lumps that feel hard to the touch

• Experiencing a slight fever

MamaBreak received a teething kit to review and share the Operation Smile campaign with our readers. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own. 

Snyder's of Hanover for a Backpack Ready Snack

You know the daily rushing about in the morning. Making sure teeth are brushed, faces are washed, and sneakers are on. We are ALWAYS looking for a healthy snack that the kids can bring to school. But so many snacks can be messy and just not backpack friendly. We were sent Snyder's of Hanover pretzels for review, and they make the perfect backpack snack.

The mini bags are perfect for your child to bring to school. My kids say that it is just enough of a snack to tide them over to lunch (and they still eat lunch). They love the great pretzel taste AND they were approved by the teacher as a "healthy" snack. There are so many requirements for our snacks that we send to school, and we are thrilled to find one that makes both the teachers AND the kids happy. 

 I love them with a side of each with dipping, and my oldest loves them with a little hummus. They are good just by themselves as well. 

MamaBreak received pretzels to review here on the website. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and opinions are our own. 

Nonni's THINaddictives for a Snack Break

As a busy mom, I am always look for a snack that both the kids and I enjoy after school! We were sent some Nonni's to try out and they are SO delicious.

They come in individually wrapped packages, so they are perfect for an on the go snack. Just stash some in your purse while you are on the run! I keep a few in my purse for any time the kids and I get stuck somewhere longer than anticipated and they need a quick bite!

The chocolate in them is DIVINE!!! So delicious. They are really thin and light . . . and like their name implies-- they really are addictive. But at only 80 calories per pack-- I can live with being addicted!

MamaBreak received Nonni's THINaddictives to try out and review here on MamaBreak. We did not receive any other type of compensation. As always, our experiences and our opinions are our own.

The Swan Princess: Princess Tomorrow, Pirate Today DVD Giveaway

Another fantastic giveaway! What to do with the little ones at home while the bigger kids are going back to school? We love watching videos and doing tons of games and "homework." This new video, "The Swan Princess: Princess Tomorrow, Pirate Today" is so adorable! MamaBreak was offered a copy of the video for a review and one for a giveaway, and we knew we had to share it with our readers!


  a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Sony Home Video provided me with some of the materials I used in this Blog Post/Giveaway. The opinions I share are my own.**
Each household is only eligible to win The Swan Princess: Princess Tomorrow, Pirate Today! DVD via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.