review Archives - MomStart

Get FREE Samples From PINCHme!

March 1, 2019 by Beeb 13 Comments

This is a sponsored post.

Anyone who knows me even casually probably knows how much I love freebies and samples. In fact, one of the first things I did when I got dial-up Internet access back in the ’90s was look up free sample websites! Freebie sites are a lot more sophisticated in 2019, and the samples have gotten even better. One of my favorite free sample websites today is PINCHme, which gives its members the chance to sample new products from top brands.

PINCHme is completely free to sign up for and is available to US residents – no credit card or shipping fees are required; all they ask is that you provide feedback on the products you receive. Here’s how it works: Each month, PINCHme releases a new batch of samples on “Sample Tuesday” for its members to claim. This usually happens on the second Tuesday of every month at 12 PM EST, so you’ll want to keep an eye out, because the samples are on offer while supplies last on a first-come, first-serve basis. The samples available to you are matched to your interests based on the preferences in your profile, and run the gamut from personal care and beauty items to food, pet products, baby items, cleaning products and more.

PINCHme recently sent me an example shipment of products to help me give you lovely readers an idea of what their sample boxes are like. Every member will receive different items based on their profile and what is available – sample boxes generally contain an average of 3 to 6 samples. Not everyone is guaranteed a sample box every month, but you’ll always have the chance to sign up for one-off freebies. I’ve been a member for several years, and I’ve been able to sign up for things like hair care and food samples on an individual basis along with receiving sample boxes. In addition, being a member gives you access to PINCHme Perks such as sweepstakes, partner offers and the chance to review products.

A Peek Into My PINCHme Box

Opening my sample box from PINCHme was so much fun – like opening your stocking on Christmas morning! I was so impressed by the selection of samples, which included full-size products as well as trial size. Even better, every single item was something that I will use – it really felt like a curated box of all the things I like!

Let’s take a peek at each item by category:

Health & Personal Care

Sundown Natural Multi+ Daily Immune Support: This is a full-size bottle of vitamins. I’ve been doing research on supplements recently, and this actually looks like a nice one for getting in Vitamin C during cold & flu season, so I’ll definitely be taking this.
Pacha Soap Co. Clarifying Charcoal Soap: I love getting samples of practical things I use every day, like soap!
Native Deodorant & Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense Sunscreen: I loved getting sample sizes of these items, because they are 3-1-1 compliant for air travel. I flew to Washington, D.C. in January and actually went out and bought both trial sized sunscreen and deodorant so that I could fit them in my travel bag. So these will save me money next time I fly, plus I get to try new brands.
Compeed Blister Cushions: During that same trip to D.C., I spent a full day walking around Capitol Hill in high heels before boarding my flight home. By the time I got to PDX airport, my feet were in so much pain I could hardly walk. Suffice to say, these blister cushions look like something I definitely need!!

Beauty

Garnier SkinActive Glow Boost 2-in-1 Facial Mask + Scrub: This is the product I was most excited about! I’m a big exfoliant evangelist, so I always jump at the chance to try a new one – a mask and scrub 2-in-1 is genius, and this is a full size jar that I will get much use out of!
L’oréal Pure-Clay Mask: I love face masks, so this is another winner for me.
Sauce Beauty Deep Moisture Hair Mask: Deep conditioning treatments are something I do frequently for my color-treated, bleached hair, so this was yet another perfect-for-me sample.

Food

RX Nut Butter Peanut Butter: I really like the bars that this brand makes, so I’m looking forward to trying this. It’s a nice handy packet I can toss in my purse for snack emergencies, and it will also work for my keto diet. Yay!
Starbucks Plus Coffee With 2x The Caffeine: I love Starbucks, and when I have a long day of deadlines ahead of me, you better believe I’m looking for new and creative ways to get more caffeine. AMAZING!

So if you love free stuff as much as I do, you’ll want to sign up for PINCHme right now! It’s 100% free, and 100% fun!

Giveaway: Celebrate Little Moments With Entenmann’s Little Bites Churro Muffins!

February 15, 2019 by Beeb 92 Comments

The coupons for product redemption, information, and gift card have been provided by Entenmann’s® Little Bites® so that I could try the product and share my thoughts and information about Entenmann’s® Little Bites®. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions of Entenmann’s® Little Bites®.

Life moves so quickly that it can be hard to stop and smell the roses. So sometimes, it’s nice to have a hard stop that forces you to slow down. We had just that last week when snow and ice came to our area – the roads were bad enough for school to be cancelled, and several of my own appointments ended up having to be rescheduled due to the weather. Even now that the snow has melted, it is still far from balmy weather around here. So what better way to spend a chilly day than by staying cozy and warm inside with an impromptu tea party?

Sharing smiles and Little Bites

Of course, no tea party or indoor picnic would be complete without some tasty treats. But you don’t have to spend a bunch of time in the kitchen – you can get that moist, just-baked taste with Little Bites muffins! You already know that we here at the MomStart family have been big fans of Little Bites for ages now, so we were super excited to try their latest taste sensation: Churro!

Limited-Edition Entenmann’s® Little Bites® Churro Muffins are the newest flavor in the Seasonal Favorites® line. They’re so new, that the cashier at Walmart noticed them as I was checking out and asked me what they were like! Featuring real cinnamon and sugar for that classic churro taste, these sweet muffins have a delicious taste that was a big hit with everyone around here. And just like all your other favorite Little Bites flavors, Little Bites Churro Muffins contain absolutely no trans fat or high fructose corn syrup. Their handy pre-portioned pouches contain 180 calories and make an effortless snack to have on hand – giving you more time to focus on those little moments with your little ones!

Little Bites Churro Muffins are only in stores for a limited time, so hurry and pick up a box today before they’re gone! For more information on these and other tasty treats, be sure to visit LittleBites.com.

Enter to Win:

To help you celebrate your own “Little moments”, we’re hosting a special giveaway: One lucky person will win a $25 virtual Visa gift card and (3) coupons for $5.00 off the purchase of Entenmann’s Little Bites!

To Enter:

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter widget below. While Entenmann’s is providing the coupons and gift card, MomStart is responsible for hosting and administering the giveaway, which ends on February 20th, 2019 at 11:00 PM PST. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18+ – sorry, no P.O. boxes. Please see the Rafflecopter widget for full details; and click here to read our giveaway rules.

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Cut Through The Noise With Mixcder E7 Active Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones

February 13, 2019 by Beeb Leave a Comment

A complimentary pair of Mixcder E7 Active Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones were provided for this review; this post contains our Amazon Associates link.

I’ve been wanting to get Jai a pair of noise cancelling headphones for a few months now, but I’ve been put off by the large price tag on the most popular brands – a pair of high-end noise cancelling headphones can easily go for $350+, which is a big investment. I did note that there are quite a few brands in the $30-50 range, but the reviews seemed spotty on the ones I had looked at, so I’ve been holding off on purchasing any. So when I received an email about the release of the new Mixcder E7 Active Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones, I was immediately intrigued because of this sentence: “The Mixcder E7 delivers on the company’s mission to create premium noise canceling headphones at an affordable price for everyone – at only $59.99.” I wanted to see what kind of performance these budget-friendly headphones could give and get a taste of what noise cancelling headphones can be like to use, so I took Mixcder up on their offer to mail me a pair.

The arrival of the headphones was perfect timing, as they were delivered a few days before a flight. Noise cancelling headphones are often recommended for air travel, so I thought this was a perfect opportunity to put them to the test. The headphones came with a nice carrying case to keep them protected in luggage, and so the headphones set off on a trip to Washington, D.C. with us!

Wearing Mixcder E7 headphones on the plane

Mixcder E7 Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones can connect to your device via Bluetooth so that you can listen cordlessly, with the additional option of plugging the headphones in as well via a removable cord, making them very flexible in usage. There are several buttons on the back of the headphones which can be used to activate the noise cancelling feature, control volume and skip forward/backwards, and turn Bluetooth on or off; Bluetooth will also turn off automatically when you plug them in.

When the noise cancelling feature on the Mixcder E7 is activated, you can immediately notice a reduction of ambient noise without playing any audio. You can use the Active Noise Canceling by itself, without having to completely power on the headphones. Jai wore the headphones for much of our flight and noted that it cut down the sound of the airplane engine by two thirds. I tried the Mixcder E7 on during the flight, and also observed how they took the loud “Hum” of the plane’s engine down. The headphones do not completely eliminate sound, but reduces it – as Jai put it, “It turns a roar into white noise“. This is very helpful, because I know any time I’m on a flight, I always have to crank the volume on my headphones up and can still barely hear whatever I’m playing; so by reducing the amount of noise, you can better hear your audio without having to blast the volume so high, which is of course bad for your hearing. This has practical applications beyond mere entertainment – for example, I personally use headphones to listen to a sleep podcast while I’m flying, which helps me get more rest while traveling. Plus, reducing the general racket on planes is a nice feature by itself even if you don’t want to listen to anything at all! These headphones will not put you into a silent vacuum, but they will take the noise level down.

Jai loves his Mixcder E7 Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones: The sound quality is very good, so he plans to use these a lot at his music station while playing piano. They are also comfortable to wear, which is nice, since larger headphones like these tend to be bulky to wear. The Active Noise Canceling is a great feature because it reduces din and can cut out lower pitches almost completely; Jai stood next to the fridge with just the noise canceling turned on, and noted that it cuts down the sound by half at least. I’m impressed to find a pair of headphones with noise cancelling features that are in the same price range as standard Bluetooth headphones that have no noise cancelling abilities whatsoever. I think these are a great buy and were a good introduction to the wonderful world of noise cancelling – now I just need to pick up another pair for myself! 🙂

The Mixcder E7 Active Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones are available on Amazon for $58.99. We loved them so much that we chose them as a top pick for our Valen-Tech Valentine’s Day Gift Guide – click here to check it out!

Make The Holidays Merry & Bright With Wonster Words!

December 21, 2018 by Beeb Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post.

For most kids in our area, today was the last day of school before holiday vacation. We all look forward to having a nice break during Christmas – it’s a great opportunity to spend more quality time together as a family. However, school holidays can also lead to boredom and learning loss. Fortunately, you can keep the kids occupied while you wrap up those last holiday errands, and they’ll be learning priceless skills at the same time – thanks to Wonster Words!

If you’ve heard me talk about Wonster Words before, then you already know that I’m a fan. Wonster Words is an award-winning educational app for Android and iOS that helps build your child’s understanding of ABC phonics and spelling. Taking inspiration from the classic educational TV programming that we all grew up with, Wonster Words is an interactive puzzle game featuring cute characters that lead children through stories and introduce them to concepts such as basic word families and the 44 most common phonemes. The app prompts kids to figure out the spelling of words by dragging and dropping animated letters as they sound out the phonics, consonant blends and gliding vowels. When the letters are arranged correctly, the meaning of the word is visually illustrated by short animations and mini-games. It’s a fantastic way to teach children how to spell, because they get to interact directly with the word structure in a hands-on way to see where the letters should go, while playing with the sounds and watching the story of what each word means.

Learning through stories on the Wonster Words app

Wonster Words contains 12 word stories about fun topics like birthdays, friendship, and space that take children through 12 word families, so as they explore the app, they’ll be exposed to hundreds of different words. Because the format presents the material naturally within a fun game, children are encouraged to explore at their own pace without pressure, for an organic and enjoyable learning experience.

The app is updated frequently with new content, and they have all kinds of fun additions for the 2018 holiday season! Wonster Words has a brand new user experience with the interactive Wonster Island landing screen, which allows users to explore a fun island full of new and different themes. Now, in addition to the great phonics exercises, Wonster Words is loaded with new educational biomes that cover basic math, science, art and music. It’s the perfect way to familiarize students with different topics in the same effective and fun format that we’ve come to love from Wonster Words, using interactive shapes and sounds to introduce new concepts. Alongside the new Wonster Island interface, the 2018 holiday update also includes new mini-games and 5 new original scores; and there will be more great content coming soon to Wonster Words, including vowels.

Try Wonster Words in your family, and you’ll soon see why it’s won awards from Parent’s Choice, National Parenting Product Award, Children’s Technology Review Editor’s Choice and more. I think your family will love it as much as mine does! The app is geared towards children aged 3 to 6, and is free with in-app purchases. Get it today on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon!

Entenmann’s & Bumblebee: A Sweet Pairing! (Special Offer + Giveaway)

December 20, 2018 by Beeb 66 Comments

The coupons for product redemption, information, and gift card have been provided by Entenmann’s® so that I could try the product and share my thoughts and information about Entenmann’s® products. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions of Entenmann’s®.

What’s even better than enjoying a delicious snack? Enjoying a delicious snack AND a movie while saving money! In honor of the upcoming film BUMBLEBEE, Entenmann’s has a great deal for movie fans: Purchase three specially marked boxes of Entenmann’s® Little Bites® muffins, eight count donuts or Entenmann’s®Minis through January 5th, 2019, and you’ll receive $5 off a ticket to see BUMBLEBEE!

You know that I never pass up a great deal, so I hit my local grocery store this morning to snag my three specially marked boxes! All I have to do is submit my receipt, and I’ll be on my way to some great savings at the cinema. I love deals like this that lead to making great memories with our family. Have you heard about BUMBLEBEE yet? It looks super cute – I saw Hailee Steinfeld performing a song from the soundtrack on The Voice last week and it was really fun. Here’s a little peek at the film’s story:

On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.

Good deals like this are just one of many reasons to love Entemann’s. Our household has been big fans of their tasty treats for years now – their handy, pre-portioned pouches of Little Bites® muffins are made with real ingredients like bananas, blueberries and strawberries and are the perfect thing to pack in my husband’s lunch and snack on while I write my blog posts. And who could forget the delicious Entenmann’s Rich Chocolate Frosted, Crumb and Powdered cake style donuts? Plus, there’s also the option of grabbing a light snack with Entenmann’s® Minis, which are smaller, individually wrapped versions of your favorite Entenmann’s products. No matter what you’re in the mood for, Entenmann’s has something to please!

For full details on this promotion and more about Entemann’s products, click here. You can also follow Entemann’s on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more on all their delectable goodies. And don’t forget to see BUMBLEBEE in theaters TOMORROW, December 21st!

Enter To Win:

In honor of Entenmann’s and BUMBLEBEE, we’re hosting a special giveaway just for our readers! One lucky person will win a $25 virtual Visa gift card and (3) coupons for $5.00 off the purchase of Entenmann’s Little Bites muffins!

To Enter:

Please use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. While Entenmann’s is providing the coupons and gift card, MomStart is responsible for hosting and administering the giveaway, which ends on January 6th, 2019 at 11:00 PM PST. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18+ – sorry, no P.O. boxes. Please see the Rafflecopter widget for full details; and click here to read our giveaway rules.

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Easy Snow Cones in Seconds

August 28, 2018 by Momstart 3 Comments

Little Snowie 2 sent us a sample to review and my family LOVED it. We had a fantastic family night and made a quick little video of using the Little Snowie 2.

The Little Snowie 2 is so easy to use. We took it out of the box, plugged it in, put ice in it and put a bowl down to catch the ice and pushed it down and it made shaved ice in seconds. It was amazing. They also sent us so many samples of syrup the kids had a sugary blast, you can see it on Zoe’s face here.

The Little Snowie 2 produces the closest thing you’ll find to the smooth fluffy shaved ice from your neighborhood snow stand without having to fork out $1000 or more on a commercial shaver. That’s right, it’s commercial grade and portable at the same time. My cousin ended up taking it to her house after we used it in Florida. Yep, she stole my Little Snowie and took it to Texas.

There are over 50 different syrup flavors.

Nobody knows snow cones and flavored shaved ice desserts better than Snowie LLC. Having manufactured commercial ice shavers for the restaurant, outdoor event, and roadside snow stand industries for over 30 years, this small but proud USA Company has now taken their world leading expertise and developed the best home shaver on the planet.

Little Snowie 2(TM) pumps out smooth icy desserts in just seconds. Say no to hand cranking, or weak motors and blades that fill a cup with crunchy ice chips. Little Snowie 2’s™ ice has the texture of freshly fallen snow – fluffy and soft, it melts in your mouth.

We even created a few adult beverages using the Little Snowie 2™.

To USE:

simply use ice cubes from your refrigerator, or any bulk ice cubes from the store; there’s no hassle of having to pre-freeze a large custom shaped ice cylinder

The Snowie motor and power switch has passed commercial use testing by ETL at over 100,000 repetitions, that’s a lot of cups of shaved ice. It is worth the price because it pays for itself after a couple of uses!

Ferocious Friday with WowWee’s Untamed T-Rex

August 4, 2018 by Momstart Leave a Comment

We received a sample.

Yesterday was Ferocious Friday, but we think you can be Ferocious any day with WowWee’s new toy Untamed T-Rex.

UNTAMED® T-REX

Meet the Untamed T-Rex from WowWee! These finger-gripping “King of the Dinos” creatures are fierce and unpredictable, and know friends vs. foes! In Untamed mode, they roar, hiss and chomp! In Tame mode they nuzzle, purr and love to be near you. Complete with snapping jaws and gripping claws, these interactive dinos react to touch, motion, and sound with over 40 different sounds and animations. There are 4 different T-Rexes to tame and collect!

5+; MSRP $14.99; launches on Ferocious Friday 8/3 at retailers nationwide

Miles did a video review and before we opened the toy we decided we were going to give the toy to his cousin. Then after he opened it, he enjoyed playing with it so much it made it difficult for him to want to give it away. The same thing happened when Zoe tried another new toy that is coming out later this month also by WowWee Toys. Seems they know how to make a toy last through the ages.

Check Out Miles’ Video review:

AirFree Onix 3000

August 4, 2018 by Jessie Leave a Comment

Sample provided.

I am a chronic allergy sufferer. I have had allergies as long as I remember. When I moved to South Korea in 2008, my allergies peaked and never really went back to normal. I was in a specialists office 3 times a week having my sinuses cleaned out and was frequently prescribed antibiotics just so I could breathe normally and keep illness and infections at bay. When I was finally tested for allergens, my dust mite allergy was so high it wasn’t even countable. What this means for me is that carpets and bedding make me feel ill like you can’t believe. Because of my allergies, I almost never sleep in a bed, preferring a less cushioned, less linen infused area such as my living/dining area.

When I received the Airfree Onix 3000, I received the possibility of an allergen-free bedroom.

So, what is in my bedroom that makes it a bio-hazard? 3 hairy, stinky cats that spray, a cat box, and the beginnings of mildew in my bathroom. Not to mention… DUSTMITES! Lucky for me, the Airfree Onix 3000 promises to eliminate all of the above!

I have been using the Airfree Onix 3000 on and off for several months, testing it in different weather and seasons. It definitely helped with the pet odor and cut down on dust motes in the air. Paired with frequent washings of my bed linens, and vacuuming of the carpet in my bedroom, it has definitely left the room feeling more fresh and breathable. I actually am able to sleep in my room for consecutive nights now!

My Dustmite Farm

I personally have more trouble with allergies in spring and summer and this is when I have found the Airfree Onix 3000 to help me the most. Because the Airfree Onix 3000 does purify the air through use of a heat source, I found that it pretty drastically dries out the air. For me, dryness exacerbates some of my symptoms, so during the dry winter I had to stow away the Airfree Onix 3000. However, when I pulled it out in spring and summer I found it was much more helpful due to the increased moisture in the air. I am able to leave it running and enjoy a less smelly, less dusty, and less dustmite-y bedroom during these more humid months.

I would recommend the Airfree Onix 3000 to chronic allergy sufferers who are not sensitive to arid climates. Airfree Onix 3000 coupled with clean bed linens definitely improves the environment and makes everyday life a little more bearable in the bedroom for the chronically congested.

Go check out the AirFree Website and take a look at the Onyx 3000!

Try an Anxiety Blanket: Weighted Blanket

July 19, 2018 by Momstart 2 Comments

We received a sample.

My entire family struggles with some form of anxiety. My husband and son experience it to the point where it affects their sleep. My son, well at night he gets upset about what happened during the day and then compounds all of it and will cry. He just has so much trouble shutting his mind down and not worrying himself into a frenzy. So we were really excited when we were offered the review of the Weighted blanket that is supposed to help with anxiety. And It seems to be helping him some. Mostly I would say, he gets into a funk and doesn’t want to be alone. He does love his new weighted blanket though.

Weighted Blanket Benefits:

Reduces anxiety

Feels like you’re being hugged or held gently

Helps you relax

Improves your sleep

Video Thumbnail

If you are wondering what size to choose Weighting Comforts has a size chart to help you pick the right size. The ideal blanket weight is 10% of your body weight. When in between sizes, we recommend going down. Many of their customers find the 15 lb blanket to be the right weight.

How is a blanket made and what is it made of?

Each Weighting Comforts blanket is handmade by a refugee woman in Nashville, Tennessee, creating income for her family. They use high quality 100% cotton fabric and 100% polyester thread for added strength and durability. The weighted beads inside each 5” pocket are made from an FDA-approved, non-irritating PVC compound.

How and why does an a weighted blanket help?

This weighted blanket is designed to improve your sleep and reduce your anxiety for year-round comfort. Many people experience a deeper and more restful sleep on the first night. Others find the blanket’s weight restrictive at first, but after several nights grow to love the effect of the weight.

Miles found it to be very odd at first. But he loved that I got it for him. It was special to him and when we went on vacation he wanted to bring it with him. I just didn’t need that extra weight in the suitcase, but I was tempted to let him since he has identified with it.

It works like a deep tissue massage, similar to the effect of a dentist’s lead blanket, releasing serotonin throughout your body to help you calm down and relax.

Epson Expression Premium XP-6000: Video Review

May 26, 2018 by Beeb 4 Comments

Sample provided.We’re a big fan of Epson printers in our household, so we were eager to check out the new Expression Premium XP-6000 that debuted last month. This is a great follow-up to the XP-640 that we reviewed in 2016 – learn more about the features in Epson’s latest and greatest Small-in-One® printer in our video review:

For reference, the color charts we printed as a test are available here and here.

These are the personal photos that we printed:

The Expression Premium XP-6000 retails for $149.99 – learn more at Epson.com.