Product Review: Valentia Night Revive Retinol Serum - a great anti-aging product

At my age, one has to always worry about the increase in the signs of aging that are visible on the skin. Especially my face starts showing now fine lines and more sagging that in recent years. I am therefore always on the lookout for new products that can ensure that skin is looking its best because then I feeling my best as well.
I came across a company called Valentia (http://valentia.com) that has a number of anti-aging products in its catalog. The company makes serums, moisturizers, masks, scrubs and toners. In additional they have several Retinol containing products and products focused on the eye area. I decided on a serum that was working in combination with my usual moisturizer. Valentia has several products available on Amazon, including a Night Revive Retinol Serum

copyright Durhamonthecheap - The Night Revive Retinol Serum is available on amazon.com

 
I also learned that Valentia products are vegan, cruelty free, natural, and ethically made. They also regularly post codes for extra savings on their Facebook page. 

copyright Durhamonthecheap - the serum by Valentia applies as an opaque white drops on the skin

I started using the product for a couple of days and so far, the experience has been positive. I trust in the power of Retinol as one of the best anti-aging components in skincare. Retinol penetrates deep into the skin to reduce wrinkles and also improve the overall skin tone. If you happen to suffer from adult acne, Retinol will also help with reducing breakouts and clear up new ones. 

The Night Revive Retinol Serum by Valentia contains nourishing Vitamin E and Squalene to also moisturize the skin, but I still apply my regular moisturizer in the morning. I want to make sure my skin is nice and soft.  
I also subscribe to the Valentia Instagram feed to learn about new products, get inspiration on how to use the products and get inspired by other women that trust in nature to ensure their skin is looking its best.

Disclaimer: For this sponsored post, I received a free sample in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this post is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Book Review: Unreasonable Hope: Finding Faith in the God Who Brings Purpose to Your Pain by Chad Veach

We often question ourselves, why does God allow certain things to happen and this book attempts to answer some of these questions and delve into why despite a firm belief in a higher being bad things still happen to good people. The author Chad Veach does not dwell on the standard responses one so often hears in such situations, but instead goes on to  draw on his own experience when a child was diagnosed with a serious illness and helps the reader to deal with the pain of such a situation. debilitating disease to reveal simple, purposeful steps for dealing with pain.The author argues that because of a believe in God, there is always hope and hope is what is pushing people to move forward.
In the book, the author uses his daughter's illness to help people understand why this happens to people and how you can keep the faith despite such an event in your life. There is no talk about God having selected a family for such a trial and the family somehow should be feel that they are special to be tried by God and in their faith through such an event. Instead the author focuses on using your religion as a pillar of strength that can be useful to provide hope for a family faced with the mystery of what parents can do to assist their child and support their child as much as possible. What I took away from the book is an understanding that while going through a personal crisis, you can still find joy in life and cherish little things in life. Be happy about a sunny day or enjoy a nice meal because life is not all bleak and with some positive outlook, the crisis becomes not only more bearable, but you will also find strength to move forward and support your family member that is affected by a health issue or going through an emotional crisis.
The book is split up into four sections - The Struggle, The Remedy, The Rest and The Better, implying that there is hope moving forward, but the person needs to move forward and with a strong belief in God that can be possible. Will it be easy? No - but after struggling with the initial gaining of momentum to move forward, people will find it easier to continue moving forward and with time, a new normalcy as I like to state it will be achieved. 
I enjoyed reading this book despite the rather dark subject matter. I felt that this book was helpful for people dealing with grief and problems in their life and provides useful, almost hands-on advice for people to work through the grief. It will not be simple, but it is something that with continuing work can be achieved.

available on amazon.com

Disclaimer: I received a free sample in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this post is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Product Review: LISTERINE TOTAL CARE ZERO

Through Crowdtap I was able to sample LISTERINE TOTAL CARE ZERO. I am a fan of Listerine and have been for years. Listerine Total Care Zero does not contain any alcohol and has a hint of the minty flavor that you are used to from many oral care products. Regularly applying Listerine, we use it twice daily, will help with preventing cavities, restore enamel (my dentist will be so happy with me) and of course kill bad breath.
We use the product in our household now twice daily and since my dentist had complained about some weakness in my tooth enamel, I am happy to see that I can use Listerine to support a strong enamel as well. I cannot wait to see what my dentist will say at my next visit.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - cleaning the mouth twice daily with to support gums, teeth and breath

Disclaimer: I received a free sample in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this post is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Product Review: Curél Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer

 I received Curél Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer through Crowdtap to sample and I was extremely happy with the experience. Curél Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer is specially formulated to be applied to the wet skin after you are done showering. When then towel drying, the product stays on the skin and ensures moisturized skin throughout the day, but with some (for us busy ladies) important time saving in the morning.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - available at curel.com

The time saving is one bonus. But it is also important to note that this product is activated by the wey skin and functions best if directly applied onto wet skin. Curél contains Advanced Ceramide Complex and this allows it to penetrate deeply into the skin's surface be immediately absorbed to ensure soft and moisturized skin for the whole day. I also love the fact that Curel is free of fragrance and I can still apply my regular perfume or the scent of my body wash comes through. Overall, I am very happy with the product and my skin was definitely healthy looking and soft despite the heat of the summer.

Disclaimer: I received a free sample in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this post is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Book review: True Faith and Allegiance: A Story of Service and Sacrifice in War and Peace by Alberto R. Gonzales

This book presents the way to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from the point of view of someone who was right in the middle of the discussions. Not only did he have to make decisions about what constituted appropriate interrogation behavior, but he also was close to the President when the attacks on 9/11 occurred. While the reader may disagree with the views expressed by the author as a politician and may hate the consequences of some of these decisions made by the author, I feel it never hurts to be exposed to different points of view. I had read quite a few articles critical of the decision to go to war and the treatment of prisoners had and has gotten more than its fair share of criticism. So reading a book by someone who was on the opposite side of the political spectrum was definitely a change of pace for me and while I do not agree will all or even with most views expressed by the author, I do believe that he acted sincerely and believed in what he did.
He came from a poor family and worked himself up through law school into the innermost circle of Republican politics. As a Hispanic and a conservative, this unusual combination of culture and political thinking got him noticed and once in the position of Attorney General, the criticism was strong and pointed at almost a betrayal of his heritage because Hispanics were not supposed to be Republican. The author persevered, sticking to his own version of Republic philosophy and in this book, while not totally attempting to explain his decisions and rewrite history with his opinion being right, the author Alberto Gonzalez is in a position to think through the events again and explain to the reader why certain decision were made. Again, many readers may not agree with these decisions and hindsight is always a winner, but this book tells his thoughts and motive during these crucial years. As someone who has disappeared from politics very quickly, this book is an interesting contribution to the discussion of the role law played in these years and what we may be able to learn for the future.

available on amazon.com

Disclaimer: I received a free sample in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this post is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Book review: Outlaw Christian: Finding Authentic Faith by Breaking the 'Rules' by Jacqueline A. Bussie

If you ever tired of listening to people telling when you were grieving that God will right the ship and he knows best. This book may be for you. The author explains in a series of stories that it is okay to now simply follow the lead of saying God is great and merciful and there will be no sorrow. It is okay to feel angry, despite being a Christian, life is now always good and life is certainly not always easy and there are plenty of times when you may doubt that God exists and really is interested in helping you at all.
This is a book that I would rather than entitle outlaw Christian as a no nonsense approach to Christianity. Life is not easy, but then why should one entity be able to make everything seem always sunny. So you have to take the good with the bad and realize that life is just that way and God will still be there, just not always in the perfect savior way that you used to hear about as a little child.
I found this book not only refreshing, but also very realistic. As such, I prefer this book over the books that seemingly paint a wonderful picture of a Christian world, only to have that image rebuffed by reality.

available on amazon.com

Disclaimer: I received a free book in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this post is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Crowdtap sampling: Advil PM - pain relief and soothes you for a good night's sleep!

Through Crowdtap I was able to sample AdvilPM, which is a combination of pain medication with a light sleep aid, so you can rest easier at night. My mother likes to work in the garden, but at her age, she aches afterwards and especially one shoulder causes problems. So I gave her an AdvilPM and she was able to have her pain lessened as well as relaxed enough that the afternoon nap was a little bit longer than usual. It helps her relax and when she wakes up, she is well rested and can enjoy the rest of the day.
So if you are looking for some help with falling a sleep, consider AdvilPM!

copyright Durhamonthecheap  - sleeping during the day with the help of Advil PM, painfree and without worry!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - AdvilPM not only helps with pain, but also relaxes you so you can sleep!

Disclaimer: I received a free sample in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this post is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.