Swaggable: Sia Botanics Desert Aloe and Jojoba Cream

I'm always game to try any new moisturizer because even though I have many, I like and use on a daily basis, I am chasing that dragon, the one that is going to take me to the new and better moisturizer! You bet when Swaggable offered me this opportunity, I snapped it up in a heart beat.



Sia Botanics is company which produces several nature-based products, with "natural" as their approach to skin care. I like that they have several collections that target your needs, whether they are age related, to problems that stem from dryness, even to combination skin. Each line creates a regimen that is right for you, so there is not a "one size fits all" mentality at Sia Botanics. The cream I received is from the Desert Aloe and Jojoba collection.

The Desert Aloe and Jojoba collection features:

• Desert Aloe & Jojoba Cream Cleanser for $16.00


• Desert Aloe & Jojoba Moisture Mask for 19.00


• Desert Aloe & Jojoba Scrub for $18.00


• Desert Aloe & Jojoba Cream for $18.00


• You may also purchase the set above for the Desert Aloe & Jojoba Dry Skin Collection at $71.00


• or the Travel set that is a great way to test a brand for $19.00

The Desert Aloe and Jojoba cream takes aloe and amps up it's benefits. The cream is for mature skin that is dry to severely dry. I know as we age we do not produce enough moisture, but I can see this cream being good at any age if you have dry spots or areas you wish to add more moisture to. I tried the cream on my face and liked that it dries to a matte finish and left no residue or oily shine for others to see. I did not find the formula to be heavy. I did like that though it was light, it did keep my under eye are soft and supple. I applied foundation 30 minutes later and did not have any issues resulting from the cream during application or hours later.

I am a fan of Aloe and use it both in gel form to naturally derived from the succulent itself. I find that it never irritates my skin and always provides enough moisture to quench a sunburn, or just those areas you want moisture minus the grease. I'm always happy and satisfied with the results and the Sia Botanics cream delivered in moisture and not just oiliness that my skin never absorbs. The cream also contains Jojoba Esther, Desert Aloe, Evening Primrose Oil and Vitamin E. I use Vitamin E around my eye area and it always responds well so this is a cream that I would use to target certain areas of my face, however it would not be moisturizer that I would apply all over. I was satisfied with the results!

Find the Sia Botanics Collection that suits you best at: http://www.siabotanics.com/default.asp

I received the above product free of charge from Swaggable. I am not obligated in providing a positive/favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product, which may differ from yours.

Swaggable: Peeled Snacks, Much-ado-about-Mango

I enjoy eating fruits and to avoid boredom, I try to eat them dried, dehydrated, baked.....you name it and I usually will try fruit anything...but canned!

I received the Peeled Snacks product from Swaggable last week and I consider myself a Mango "liker" versus a "lover". I enjoy the fresh fruit but if you have strawberries or pineapple, Mango loses.



The first thing that jumped out was that the product is Organic and the simple words, "nothing added". Naked fruit as I call it, is best in my book so this is a great start. I noticed the package has a little clear window that allows you to see the product and I love when manufactures do this because how many times have I opened a package to find it was not close to how it was pictured. So again, great beginning.

I flip the product and notice some very positive nutritional facts starting that one bag is considered 1 serving and it's a generous amount at 48 grams (1.40 ounces), with only 120 calories. You have Calcium and Iron at 2% each, 20% Vitamin C, and 30% Vitamin A. Gluten, dairy, wheat and cholesterol free. You wrap it up nicely with 2 grams each of Protein and Dietary Fiber.



I open the package and take a sniff and the product smells close to apricots mixed with a slight orange scent. Good start as it's not off in odor or like some dried fruits, they stink of chemicals or smell like they have been in a cardboard box for half a century! The fruit looks leathery but I have purchased "leather fruit" strips in the past so I am familiar and accepting of such a  texture. The peels almost look like strips of carrots (in color) that were partially dehydrated and remained bendable. I take a shaving out and notice the remaining pieces have no uniform shape to them (nice natural look). The product was a little on the chewy side so I went from biting and pulling with my front teeth, to having to put some "oompf" with the back ones but I finally won! The fruit goes from feeling leathery on your fingers and dry when biting, to instantly re-hydrating to a gummy like texture. So gummy in consistency that the molars that helped me win my battle had Mango bits embedded all around them. Very sweet and I understand the natural pectin in fruit amps up when dried but this was so sweet and intense, that Mango was the last thing I tasted. As my mouth cleared from the gumminess, I did pick-up some Mango notes but the sweetness really turned me off. I was left.....well craving a Mango. So in some ways this snack encouraged me to add Mango to the grocery list but of the fresh kind.



Does it have it's place?

Yes, I see maybe a tart yogurt being able to curve the sugar taste a bit but I'm unsure if it would help with the gummy factor. Maybe the wetness of a yogurt would aid or it could result in a bit of a mess. Baking with the product could be it's only hope! I wanted to like this product because everything outside the package called to me when it came to the brand Peeled Snacks, it just was not what I desired from a Mango. I understand nothing is added to the Mango and respect that but if they could maybe find a way to take some sugar away, I maybe could accept the gummy factor better. I would still try one more time with Peeled Snacks but just a different fruit.

You can check-out the Peeled Snacks collection at: http://www.peeledsnacks.com/

I received the above product from Swaggable free of charge. I am not obligated in providing a positive/favorable review. just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product, which may differ from yours.

Swaggable: Crystal Body Deodorant Towelettes

I received the product via Swaggable and was looking forward in seeing how well the Crystal Body deodorant towelettes perform. I liked that the product stated it prevents body odor versus just masking it with fragrances. I recall years ago buying those salt crystals that were to be used in place of deodorant, however I disliked having to wet the crystals and they would always drip when applying. Yes, they worked but the process is cleaner and more convenient when you just use a normal off the shelf deodorant. No water required or having to wait for the crystal to dry so you can but it back in the plastic baggy. Most times I just put it on a soap dish and forgot to bag it until I returned home.



The Crystal Body Deodorant towelettes come pre-moistened so no need to wet the product. They contain no aluminum chlorohydrate, parabens, phthalates or fragrances. Prevents body odor all day and you just apply it to clean skin. At first I thought it was a towelette to be used to "freshen up", maybe after working out but this is to be used after you shower. It makes sense as I never reapply deodorant on top of the application I applied in the morning. It just seems icky to me but this seems to be the natural solution that cleaned up the process of having to mess around with the crystal itself.

The towelette performed just as advertised and not only did I feel fresh and clean all day, if my activity level went up, there was no odor issues. I did not get any irritation and this was even after shaving and using a towelette 30 minutes after. I also like that versus a deodorant stick, you use a fresh towelette each time and hygiene wise, it is more welcoming. That little notion hit me when I went to use a second towelette and it was nice to open a fresh and clean packet. Easy to carry and I have used body towelettes before that were designed to be used as way to freshen up and I can see the formula being able to do this, however the towelette size is on the small side as it is intended more to be used for underarm application.



You can find more information on the entire product line at: http://www.thecrystal.com/

I found Amazon to Walgreens carries their products and you can also print out a $1.00 savings coupon via their site.

I received the above product via Swaggable and free of charge.  I am not obligated in providing a favorable/positive review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product, which may differ from yours.