Congratulations Erin W. you were randomly chosen to win the $100 Reset Skincare certificate!! Thank you so much to Reset Skincare for the great giveaway!
Don’t forget that if you want to buy or even try Reset for yourself, you can receive a free 7 day trial of products from Reset Skincare. Go to the site www.resetskincare.com and in the “Free Goodies” section enter your information along with the code ITKM in the comment box.
Thank you Wee Gallery for a great giveaway and thank you to everyone who entered! To purchase your own Art Cards go to Wee Gallery’s site.
GIVEAWAY WINNERS:
Congratulations!
Have you ever woken up, gone to the mirror, and saw someone you didn’t recognize? I did about a month ago; not a good feeling. After years of sun abuse, my skin has been left with the appearance of premature aging, and dare I say (without jumping into oncoming traffic) a lackluster existence that contradicts me as a human being. I thought the more glow I had the better I would look, and my elixir of choice for this oblivious masochism was a blend of pure baby oil and iodine. Yes, I get it. It’s all my fault. Smack my hand twice and scold me with shame. But it shouldn’t matter when you have your “EUREKA!” moment as long as you get it. So I enlisted my good friend Alison Duran, President and creator of Reset Skincare, to help me regain back the years I have lost due to my disregard for the future. This is war, and it’s on!
The modus operandi behind Reset Skincare is to re-build the skin cells you already have, not starting from scratch by removing them. The ingredients in Reset are designed to replenish every skin cell and heal them on a molecular and cellular level. When you start removing the skin cells, they have no other choice but to make more through a division process called mitosis. They duplicate themselves by splitting into two identical cells, those cells then split and form two more, and so on and so forth. Even though they are identical when they divide, these cells begin to lose properties as they descend towards the bottom of the chain. I don’t know about you, but I’m not in the market for bobo flea-market-half-breed cells making up the skin on my face. I only want the best!
I was excited to get started with my new Reset Skincare regiment and begin re-building the existing cells I have, so I began with the products below. These are some of the basic necessities and treatments in Reset’s line—and a couple bonus products for fun!
1. Clarify- A mild cleanser, suitable for all skin types, is derived from rose hips, olive and kumquat oils, and seaweed extracts. Rose hips contain vitamins C, D, and E, essential fatty acids and antioxidants. Combined they make a lovely cocktail to cleanse the skin. I am happy to report that not only did Clarify melt away all my makeup, but it did not strip my skin of all its natural oils in the process.
2. Restore- A toner, made from vitamin C, calendula, cucumber, and CoQ10. Restore cools and moisturizes while balancing out the PH levels in the skin. My favorite ingredient in this particular toner is the CoQ10. As we get into our thirties, levels of CoQ10 are below optimum, causing a reduction in the skin’s ability to produce elastin, collagen, and other important skin molecules. Also, skin lacking in CoQ10 can be more susceptible to damage by free radicals. So not only can CoQ10 boost skin repair and regeneration, it helps to reduce free radical damage.
3. Replenish- A red tea (Rooibos) serum. Talk about instant gratification with long-term results! This may be one of my favorite skin treatments in the line. You mean I can have my cake and eat it too?!? Red tea contains the antioxidant Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), which helps reduce free radical damage to the skin. SODs are an important antioxidant defense in almost all cells exposed to oxygen. My skin was left smooth, supple, and visibly tighter after just one use.
4. Vivid- An eye serum containing an almighty combination of soy and rice peptides, yeast protein, hyaluronic acid and seaweed extract, Vivid encourages healthy circulation and collagen renewal. Because hyaluronic acid is crucial to the structural integrity of the dermal collagen grid, it is a very effective topical treatment. Those pesky puffs in the morning (or after a long night with my flu-ridden toddler) are no match for Vivid. Amazingly, it only takes one drop of this highly concentrated serum to do both upper and lower eye areas.
5. Brilliance- A daily moisturizer suitable for all skin types, Brilliance has a unique blend of jojoba, apricot kernel, and squalene compound derived from olives. Squalene compound can play a few roles in our skincare regimen. First and foremost, it absorbs into the skin to smooth and soften without a greasy feeling. But here’s a little something I stumbled upon during my 30 day trial with Reset when I ran out of my makeup primer (OH NO!) I decided to mix Brilliance with my foundation and noticed impressive results, far better than any primer I have used underneath my makeup. While doing some research on squalene compound, I found that not only is it a beneficial ingredient in moisturizer, it also smoothes the skin for flawless make-up applications! She shoots, she scores, and now she cannot live without…. C’est la vie, non?
6. Essential- A lipid replacement therapy and another one of my favorite treatments from Reset’s line. It replenishes lipids lost to aging and environmental stress. I was lucky enough -insert dripping sarcasm here- to be born with genetically dry skin and Essential is an excellent skin treatment for me. I use Essential as part of my nightly routine after applying Replenish. I’ll be Frank here for a moment instead of Sas and tell you that I just want to bathe in Essential, wrap myself in Saran Wrap and cocoon in an electric blanket for a week. Someone will have to bring me my glass of vino with a straw every evening. Don’t judge…
7. Reclaim- A curative mask, Reclaim is the newest and not yet launched product in Reset’s incredible arsenal. All I can say is WOW! This is one impressive weekly mask! Only a quarter sized amount of Reclaim is needed for your face and neck. Reclaim contains a special blend of ingredients that pull moisture to your skin and seal it in. The word ‘curative’ just does not even begin to describe what you look and feel like after using this product. It is just what the doctor ordered and I dare you to try it.
So how do I feel about my skin after one full month with Reset Skincare? After one week of treatment my skin started to look smoother, younger, tighter, and more radiant. My pores started to disappear and the little bit of congestion that plagued my chin area diminished significantly. Every week after that my skin became clearer, fresher, and overall more even. Not only do I take my skin’s true wants and needs into better consideration, but now I look at my daily defense procedures with a better scientific approach. Oh, and if I didn’t mention earlier may I add that Reset Skincare products contain no fillers, no preservatives, and no catchy false promises. In my opinion, the product should speak for itself. So far, Reset Skincare does…
Want to try Reset for yourself? You can receive a free 7 day trial of products from Reset Skincare. Go to the site www.resetskincare.com and in the “Free Goodies” section enter your information along with the code ITKM in the comment box.
Reset is offering one lucky In The Know Mom a gift certificate in the amount of $100 for use towards Reset products of your choice! All you have to do is leave us a comment below telling us which product you’d love to try the most!
EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete
Contest ends December 23, 2009 at Midnight PST
Putumayo is my new favorite music for my daughter. It is so pleasing to have on in the background and my daughter goes wild when it comes on. We received “Picnic Playground” free to try out and we were so into it, I didn’t mind when it looped back around a couple times. The songs are upbeat and fun, but most importantly they expose your child to other culture’s music. The music comes from France, Cuba, Trinidad, Denmark, South Africa, Australia, Germany, and different regions of the US. To sample the music go here.
We also received the newest release, “European Playground” to enjoy and enjoy we did!! The music is fantastic and comes from all over Europe: Finland/Sweden, Belgium, England, Denmark, Hungary, France, Greece, Portugal, Germany, Scotland, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, and Ireland. Not only will your child love and benefit from the CD, you will as well. Like Picnic Playground, I didn’t mind it at all broadcasted throughout my house. Fun foreign lyrics and beats will encourage your child to dance and sing. It also provokes a curiosity in other countries and their cultures. My daughter loves certain songs and shouts their countries along with the songs… and she’s not 3 yet! The inner booklet also teaches interesting facts about the countries. To sample this cd go here.
Keeping with the same theme, try out others such as: New Orleans, Hawaiian, Celtic, Reggae, Brazilian, African, and Asian playground… there’s even more!
Two lucky winners will receive a Putumayo CD (either Picnic Playground or European Playground). To enter, comment below stating which CD you’d be most interested in. To see the whole collection, go here.
For extra entries comment here again for each promotion that you do WITH LINKS!
*Promote on social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, Cafemom, Myspace
*Promote on your personal or business blog
*Digg it, Reddit
United States residents only please! Contest ends November 7, 2009 at Midnight PST.
A single toothbrush can harbor millions of microorganisms, which can translate into harmful bacteria (Influenza virus, herpes simplex I, streptococci, staphylococci, staphlococci, yeasts, bacteria that can cause gum disease, cavities and even diarrheal illness). Violight eliminates these microorganisms and several others within minutes and is one of the hottest items on the market right now! Violight has a line of toothbrush sanitizers that are clinically proven to eliminate 99.9% of bacteria on your toothbrush with germicidal UV light. This even includes the H1N1 Swine Flu Virus!!!
It’s so important to ensure our little ones brush their teeth every day. But, what do you clean their toothbrushes with? I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen my daughter go from gnawing on her toothbrush, to scrubbing the bathroom counter with it within a matter of seconds. Sometimes she’ll drop it on the floor or I find it randomly laying somewhere in the house. The nasty list goes on and on. The germicidal UV light that VIOlight uses destroys the DNA of microorganisms. Not only will it kill all the bacteria they pick up from playing around with their toothbrushes, but it will also entice them to want to brush their teeth because of the cool blue light that illuminates from the toothbrush sanitizer once you press the button to start cleaning.
We have the Original Violight Toothbrush Sanitizer that can sanitize up to four toothbrushes at a time. All you do is brush your teeth with your toothbrush, rinse it off with water, drop it into the sanitizer and press 
the button on the front. BAM, the light comes on for a few minutes and your toothbrushes are germ free!
It’s our job to ensure our families are safe and healthy. Go here and pick out the Violight that is the best fit for your household. This is a definite ITKM Must Have and an item that should be found in every home.
Violight has an exciting opportunity for our ITKM readers. We have a VIOlight Zapi to GIVE AWAY! To enter: leave a comment below telling us which Violight which color you’d like. Click here to see the color options. For extra entries link this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Cafemom, Digg or blog. Leave additional comments with links to your promotions in order to receive your extra entry. Contest ends Tuesday, November 3 at Midnight Pacific.
A few months ago, one of our In The Know Moms, Jennifer, had responded to one of our S.O.S. postings in our forum ideas for getting our picky eaters to eat. She mentioned that when she cut her daughter’s sandwich into shapes, her daughter ate it all up! I think several of us ran to the kitchen after reading that to try her tip out. The only item I had to use was some flower petal fondant cutouts, but beggars can’t be choosers. My daughter definitely loved the concept and ate more than she usually did, but WOW that was a pain to cut out every little item! That’s when I found Lunch Punch. Lunch Punch is a food cutter specifically designed to use as much of the bread as possible while cutting off the crust of the bread.
I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I was to find this company, but also to be able to put them to use! They currently have two sets of Lunch Punches to choose from. The Critter Cutters have a Butterfly, Two Fish, a Dog in a dog house and an Elephant with it’s baby to choose from. The second set is an assortment of four different puzzle pieces combinations. In 2010 they have two new sets joining the Lunch Punch family, a set of Continental Shapes and a Vehicle set!
My daughter loves to be a part of the process. She helps to pick out which lunch punch she would like to use; this is usually a very difficult predicament for her as she ponders deeply on which to choose. She hops onto the counter to watch me make her sandwich, then she helps me press down on the bread to make her Lunch Punch! All kidding aside, when I cut a sandwich out with these cutters, it’s the ONLY time she will ever eat her entire sandwich. I’m not quite sure why she would only eat a few bites when I would cut the bread into triangles. It’s exciting for her to be a part of the process and it also makes eating fun!
Sarah: My daughter also loved being part of the process. She doesn’t even LIKE peanut butter and jelly but she ate this one! She started out nice, but then really put her back (and everything else) into it. She was so proud afterward and ate the whole thing. Did I mention she doesn’t even LIKE peanut butter and jelly sandwiches???
Lunch Punch has an exciting opportunity for our ITKM readers. We have FOUR different Lunch Punch sets to GIVE AWAY! To enter: leave a comment below telling us which Lunch Punch is your favorite by clicking here. For extra entries post this review on Facebook, Twitter, Cafemom, Digg or blog. Leave additional comments with links to your promotions in order to receive your extra entry. Contest ends Sunday, November 1 at Midnight Pacific.
Two things that my daughter outgrows the quickest: shoes and jammies. Needless to say, I’m always searching for pajamas for my daughter. I look for organic, quality jams that BREATHE. I’ve tried jams on her made of synthetic materials and she ends up a sweaty mess. Organic cotton, I have found breathes the best, aiding in a peaceful sleep. And a peaceful sleep leads to a peaceful baby. Say no more!
New Jammies has a line of adorable fruits and veggies pajamas that will hopefully encourage the consumptions of fresh foods. For the first time ever, because of childhood obesity, children may have shorter life expectancies than their parents! This is an epidemic and we should do everything we can to get kids interested in fruits and vegetables. To shop go here.
*New Jammies has extended a coupon code to ITKMs for 20% off any long john style snuggly PJs. Enter KNOWJAMMIES20 at checkout.
Another great quality I found about New Jammies, is that they are long enough for my long daughter, meaning she won’t outgrow them as quickly. With adequate leg, arm, and belly length, these jams should last her awhile. My daughter tried hers out for movie night. Even though she is watching the movie with Wall-E, she isn’t watching Wall-E. She’s actually watching her favorite movie, Funny Face. Yes the same with Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. She has great taste for a 2 year old. Then again for a naptime. She loves her “tangermeen” jammies.
Erin: Because best friends must do everything exactly the same, my little one had to have the same Jammies as her BFF pictured above. You all know my love for organic cotton, these do not disappoint. Organic cotton is so comfy cozy, such a great idea to create adorable jams with this material. My daughter loved the tangerines on her Jammies. She kept pretending to eat them; she’s so cute! Something has to be said about the adorable packaging New Jammies does as well. They come with their own New Jammies Gift Bag and an adorable little book about the New Jammies fruits and vegetables. She LOVES the book. Such an adorable gift for any young child.
Want a chance to WIN a FREE set of New Jammies? Enter now by commenting on this post telling us what jammies you like best. To see the collection, go here. For extra entries, promote this giveaway on you Twitter, Facebook, Cafemom Group, Blog, DIGG it, any social networking. Post a comment for EACH promotion you do to get your extra entries. Contest ends November 1st at Midnight PST.
Giveaway Prize: New Jammies Snuggly PJ set in apple
Thank you to Scwibble for the awesome giveaway of a $50 voucher. The winner was randomly picked and it is NancyRCK! Congratulations Nancy, we look forward to seeing your artwork!
And remember, for the rest of you, mention In The Know Mom to receive 10% off your order, good through February 28th. Great gifts for Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc.
A local (for me) treasure is Planet Flops. Planet FLOPS is based in Beverly Hills and is dedicated to distributing environmentally-friendly, stylish and incredibly comfortable flip-flops. The creator of Planet FLOPS is Dr. Sylvie, a well-respected Beverly Hills podiatrist. Instead of being made from synthetic rubber (which comes from petroleum and chemicals), FLOPS are made in Brazil with natural rubber and are baked naturally under the warm Brazilian sun. Natural rubber comes from rubber trees in the Brazilian rain forest. No trees are harmed and are not chopped down. The harvesting of natural rubber occurs by harmlessly “tapping” into the tree to remove a milky sap from the bark. Not only that, natural rubber is more comfortable and provides greater cushion and flexibility. Thank you mother nature!
As part of their launch at the end of 2008, the company donated over 9,000 pairs of free flip-flops to orphanages in Eastern Europe. What more could you ask for from a company?!
Planet FLOPS offers flip flops to women, men and kids. The variety of colors is wonderful, from neutrals and solids to duo colors. Check out the colors here.
Personal ITKM testimony:
Sarah: Being a stiletto heel girl, I don’t wear a ton of flip flops. I actually have avoided them because I have found them uncomfortable, opting for cute sneakers. When forced (beach) I have my select pairs that are OK, but they are now off to the Goodwill! Planet Flops natural rubber flip flops are THE most comfortable flip flops I have ever put on my feet. I wore them around for a few days… took them for a test drive around Malibu, and then to the park, oh and out running errands. I couldn’t take them off! I highly recommend these comfortable, environmentally responsible beauties.
Erin: Flip flops are all I wear, all day and all year long. The issue with that is my mother has bone spurs in the heels of her feet, which have led her to endure two painful surgeries on her feet. Of course, I inherited this lovely trait. If on my feet for too long in shoes with no support, my feet begin throbbing. It’s really awful. I finally came to realize that my JCrew flip flops that used to fill my closet needed to be thrown out because they are hard, offer zero support, zero cushioning and have so much give that they can twist your ankle in a second. I’ve had to resort to some pretty orthopedic looking flip flops in order to be able to fulfill my dress code requirement of flip flops. This had been my only solution until I tried Planet Flops. I love how snug they keep your feet, yet they don’t rub on your toes at all. My first step into them was pretty shocking, they instantly cushioned my feet, especially my high arches. There’s zero impact when I walk and at the end of the day, I can stand on them pain free and cook dinner. If you wear flip flops, you need these.
Planet FLOPS is offering a giveaway of a pair of flips for TWO winners, that’s right, TWO winners. To enter, comment below telling us with color and size you would like to own. For extra entries, promote this giveaway on your Twitter, Facebook, Cafemom Group, Blog, Digg it, etc. Leave a separate comment of each promotion to get your entry to count!! Contest ends October 24, 2009 at Midnight PST.
I’m always on the hunt for healthy alternative snacks for my daughter. Recent studies have shown that gluten-free products are much better for both kids and adults! I’ve seen research studies about how it helps autistic children and even kids with allergies when you remove the gluten from their diets. One day while shopping at my Whole Foods, I found some EnviroKidz cereal bars that are organic and gluten-free. I decided to give them a try and my daughter absolutely LOVED them. I don’t hear “YUMMY, it’s good mommy” very often. In fact she doesn’t really like most food, so I was ecstatic! She calls them her “bars” and will randomly head over to her snack cabinet and grab one out when she’s hugry. We’ve expanded our EnviroKidz product line in our house to their cereal now as well and, I have to say, that I enjoy stealing a bowl from my daughter every now and then. I even will mix some of her gorilla munch with a few dried cranberries and dried blueberries for a healthy little snack for her on weekends.
They don’t just stop at making great food for our kids, 1% of all EnviroKidz sales are donated annually to endangered species, habitat conservation and environmental education for kids.
Nature’s Path is generously offering TWO of our readers a chance to try a box full of five different EnviroKidz and Nature’s Path products for your entire family to enjoy. Here’s an example of some of the items the winners will receive:
How do you enter? Head on over to Nature’s Path site here and tell us what product you’d love to try! Want additional entries? For every additional entry you have, please leave a separate comment for each one! Follow Nature’s Path on Twitter here or become their Fan on Facebook here. For even more entries, link this giveaway on your Facebook, blog it, Tweet It or Digg it. Up to SEVEN different entries for this one. Deadline for entry ends at Midnight on Saturday, October 17.
So the time is rapidly approaching. I am not sure if I am excited or am dreading this event: preschool. What was once my baby, is now on the cusp of turning three. So what is the absolute necessity for preschool, or any school? A backpack of course. But which backpack to choose? After scouring the internet thoroughly, the answer has come back time and time again, Dante Beatrix. Dante Beatrix offers top quality backpacks with modern yet simple designs. Run by three amazingly talented people, this company will not disappoint even the harshest of critics. Durable and seemingly indestructible, the Little Kid backpack will surely last the 2-5 year range. And when your child outgrows the Little Kid, they are promoted to the Big Kid backpack. Constructed with nylon and laminated canvas, these backpacks are super easy to clean. They also are very roomy for a toddler’s backpack and have comfy padded straps.
Dante Beatrix is offering up one Senor Gomez Little Kid Backpack to one lucky winner. To enter, leave a comment below. For extra chances to win, post this giveaway on your Twitter, Facebook, or Blog. For another chance, Digg this post by coming to the main page here and clicking on the “digg” icon. Post a separate comment for each promotion you do with a link! Contest ends Friday September 25th at midnight PST!
The giveaway prize: Senor Gomez
I love when I find a product that not only helps to make my every day life easier, but it helps promote independence in my daughter. She’s currently growing like a weed, but her waist seems to stay the same size. Why they don’t make smaller waisted pants longer in length is still puzzling to me. She wears a 2T for length, but in cute pants and jeans, they seem to sag a few minutes after putting them on. The answer seems like a simple one, she needs a belt….but which one?
If you’re potty training, like we are, you know that a belt designed after adult belts just not what you need when your toddler says “I GOTTA GO NOW!” Fumbling with the belt to get it off as quickly as possible before it’s too late. I did some hunting and found Myself Belts, which not only help to keep their pants up, but are easy enough to use that they can do it themselves. Yep, that’s right, kids who are potty training can undo and fasten their own belts!
She notices her belt is undone……..she fastens it……….”I DID IT!!!” cheer
Myself Belts are made from soft webbing overlaid with ribbon. One end of the belt has a snap, which snaps over the first belt loop. Slide the belt through the remaining loops and join the ends together using the velcro.
Myself belts is generously offering a discount code for ITKM readers. Click here to browse either the girls or boys belts and enter the code INTHEKNOW when checking out to receive 10% off all orders through the month of September. They also have a special right now when you purchase two belts, you receive free standard shipping.
WAIT, there’s more! Myself Belts is offering up a belt for your very own kiddo! That’s right, a GIVEAWAY!!! To enter, leave a comment telling us if you’d like a boy or girls belt and what size. To find out what size your little one would wear, click here for a size chart. For additional entries, digg, tweet, blog or link this posting in Facebook and add an additional comment for every link you’ve created. If you did one of each, you’d have five different comments posted. Yep, FIVE entries for the giveaway! Leave your comments before Midnight PDT on Wednesday, September 16.
I am SO excited for this feature. Dreamlets are just about the cutest plushes going. With a family of 6 lovable creatures, you should really own them all. A Seattle based company, Dreamlets believes that dreams really do come true. Dreamlets also founded 1% For Creativity, which sends revenue to organizations that support creative thought through funding and education.
Dreamlets are of extremely great quality. I was impressed by the weight of them, as the bottoms are filled with tiny pearls to help them stand up. They are so hugable though so I doubt you will put them down. These durable handmade beauties will surely last the years.
My daughter takes her Dreamlet, Uncle, literally everywhere.
Erin – Meet Beebee, the new fourth member of our family. He was welcomed into our home with a huge bear hug and a squeal that was so loud, my eyes crossed. He’s comfy enough to be used as a pillow and durable enough to withstand even the hardest accidental slam against the wall while walking down the hall. Needless to say, we’re huge Dreamlets fans and Beebee will be reunited with his entire gang soon enough!
Dreamlets is offering an amazing giveaway for our In The Know Mom readers. They are offering up ALL SIX of their cuddly creatures to SIX different winners! That’s right, SIX winners! To enter, comment below stating which Dreamlet you like best! To find out their names, go here. For extra chances to win, post this giveaway on your Facebook, Twitter, or blog and comment again letting us know! Digg this posting by clicking the button below and get yet ANOTHER entry! Leave your comments before Midnight Pacific on Wednesday, September 9. Winners will be announced Thursday, September 10.
Follow Dreamlets on Twitter here.
Thank You Livie & Luca for the awesome giveaway! And the winner is by random generator… LISA!!! Congratulations Lisa!
CARLY!!! Congratulations Carly on your new baby boy and for winning a new set of Bummas!
