Rhubarb Muffins

I adapted this recipe to use rhubarb which has been growing in our garden.  These muffins have a cake like texture and taste great!  As a side note, they come off the paper liners really easily.  I hate when muffins leave half the muffin behind on the liner!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup chopped rhubarb

Topping:
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
1.  Cream shortening, sugar and egg.
2.  Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture alternatively with milk.  Stir until just combined.
3.  Mix in rhubarb.
4.  Fill paper liners.
5.  Mix topping ingredients of sugar and cinnamon.  Spoon desired amount on top of muffin.
6.  Bake at 325F for 20-25 minutes.

Yield: 9 muffins

Vichy Idealia Life Serum Review

I have been using the Vichy Idealia Life Serum for a week now. Initially when I saw this product labelled as a "serum" I wasn't impressed as I was expecting a clear, oily like product that I thought would exacerbate my acne prone skin.

This product however was nothing like I expected. It was white with a lotion like consistency. It absorbed quickly into the skin and did not leave a sticky or oily residue. My skin tolerated this lotion very well as it didn't aggravate my acne prone skin or make my skin any oilier than usual. 

The lotion is fragranced and reminds me of a green tea scent. It is pleasant and not overpowering. 

I was using this serum daily after cleansing my face. I found that the product moisturized so well that I didn't need to apply a separate moisturizer. In fact I had been dealing with some dry patches on my skin due to the harsh acne products I use and found that the dry patches were well taken care of with this product.

I have noticed that my skin is softer and smoother with daily use but haven't yet noticed any further improvements to my skin at this point. Perhaps with continued use that will change.

Overall, I really liked this product but cannot justify the price tag for the softer, smoother and moisturized skin that I saw. This product retails for $59 for a 30 ml pump bottle.  I feel there are other products on the market with a lower price tag that would be just as effective. However, I would recommend this product to anyone to try as it really is a lovely product.

I received this product free of charge from ChickAdvisor for review purposes.

Orange Blueberry Muffins

I love blueberry muffins and decided to change up my favourite recipe by adding some orange zest.  The muffins have a lovely orange flavour to them.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• zest of one orange
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1½ cups blueberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. 
2. In large bowl whisk eggs and gradually add sugar, continue whisking until pale yellow in colour.
3. Pour in oil, add vanilla and orange zest.
4. In a separate bowl stir together flour, salt and baking soda.
5. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture, alternating with the sour cream.
6. Gently fold in blueberries.
7. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
8. Bake in preheated oven for approx.  20 minutes

Wordless Wednesday

It's a winter wonderland on the farm today!  And it's April!!

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Hi-Impact Hair Products #MyJohnFrieda

I recently received a Vox Box from Influenster containing three John Frieda hair products: Sheer Blonde Hi-Impact shampoo and conditioner as well as an oil elixir.

The Claims
The shampoo claims to give overprocessed hair new life.  It revives blonde hair's healthy, vivid hue.  It also rejuvenates and restores vibrancy to distressed strands.

The conditioner repairs and restores a healthy look and feel to distressed blonde hair.  It moisturizes while repairing damaged hair to revive vibrancy.  

The oil elixir helps to repair damage, replenishes hair and strengthens strands.  It reveals shiny, shimmering blonde hair that's full of light.  This product can be used on both wet and dry hair.  

All three products are safe for use on natural or colour treated hair as well as on highlights and lowlights.


My Thoughts 
I have natural dark golden blonde hair.  I have never dyed my hair but I do use a flat iron on my hair every week or so.  My hair is frizzy and I don't like wearing my hair down unless I've flat ironed it.  

The shampoo is a great consistency and lathers well.  It rinses easily from the hair.

The conditioner is a little thicker and creamier than other conditioners I've used but it does spread easily and rinses completely from the hair.  I noticed that while rinsing my hair, I was able to run my fingers through my below shoulder length hair. So it seems to have a detangling effect.

I applied the oil elixir to my hair after it was towel dried.  It absorbs quickly into the hair and does not leave an oily residue like I thought it might.  It also doesn't weigh down my hair.

When using all three of these products together, my hair felt light weight and was easy to manage.  I noticed that my hair was not as frizzy as usual so that was an unexpected bonus!  My hair felt healthy and revived but I didn't notice any greater vibrancy to my hair.  It wasn't any glossier or shinier than usual.

Overall, this is a great collection and I would continue to use it for the benefits that I experienced.



I received these products free of charge to facilitate this review.

Lise Watier HydraForce Hydra-Protective Comforting Creme Review #Getinthebubble

I was selected by GlamSense to test the Lise Watier Hydraforce moisturizer.  I received the normal to dry skin formula.  It retails for approximately $45 Canadian.

Skin Care Claims
According to the Lise Watier website the product claims to leave skin fortified and protected, soft, smooth and radiant. The formula's effectiveness is due to the power of the Gaspé Algae Extract.  This extract guarantees that the skin is left hydrated.

It also claims that instrumental measurements prove the skin is 3x more hydrated.  Furthermore, 100% of women confirm that skin is more hydrated, soft and protected against outdoor aggressions. (Source: https://hydraforce.lisewatier.com/en/)

The moisturizer is packaged in a 45ml jar.  I would prefer if this product was in a tube as it would make application easier and cleaner.  

The product is a creamy consistency.  To me it has a pleasant floral scent but it is not overpowering at all.  The cream absorbs fairly quickly and I find a little bit goes a long way.  If you use too much it will take too long to absorb and leave a bit of a sticky residue.

Along with the moisturizer was a device called a hydration tool that connects to your smart device.  You can then download for free the Hydra-Detect app.  The hydration tool measures how hydrated your skin is.  Pretty neat!

You place the hydration tool on whatever area of skin you want to test.  You can choose to test you hand, t-zone or cheek.  I chose to test my cheek as that is where I would be using the moisturizer most.

Initial Results

    

                   

           Before                                                                              After

I washed my face first thing in the morning and then tested the moisture level.  It was 30.4% which is a little dry.  I then applied the HydraForce moisturizer to my face and retested.  This time I got a result of 44.4%.  So the moisturizer really did hydrate my skin to an appropriate level.

Results after 14 days

              Before                                                                         After

After 14 days of using the moisturizer I wanted to see if my skin was more hydrated even before applying the moisturizer.  I tested my cheek again before putting on the moisturizer and got a result of 39.8% which is higher than the initial reading of 30.4%.  So my hydration levels went up even without having the moisturizer on.

After applying the moisturizer, I got a result of 47.9% which is higher than the initial result of 44.4%.  So the results prove that this moisturizer really hydrates and more so with continued use.

Final Thoughts
I really liked this moisturizer more than I thought I would.  I consider myself to have oily skin but the initial results showed my skin was a little dry.  So I guess even oily skin needs moisturizer.

I also have really acne prone skin and I'm pleased to say that during the two weeks of testing this product that I didn't get one breakout!  My skin was incredibly soft and smooth to the touch and looked more radiant.  Overall, this is a great moisturizer and I'm so pleased with the results I got.


Is Your Skin Hydrated?
If you want to see if your skin is well hyrated you can attend one of the events being held across Canada.  For more information and to find a location near you, visit the Hydraforce Lise Watier website.


I received this product free of charge for review purposes.

Wordless Wednesday

We had an ice storm last week that knocked out our power for a couple of days.  Despite the damage from the ice, the trees looked beautiful especially when the sun shone on them!