Review: Puddle Jumper Life Jacket

When it was time to prepare for summer, I knew we needed to get some type of life jacket for A. Last summer, we were home in Louisiana and swam a lot. We tried a variety of life vests and A hated every single one. This year I asked around to friends, and many suggested the Puddle Jumper.

The weight range is from 30 to 50 pounds. A was 32 pounds when I bought it and now weighs 34.5 pounds. It is also Coast Guard approved.

This life jacket was and still is an absolute hit with her. She happily puts it on and wears it, even when we are around the house. She loves it that much.

I love the design of it. I love that there is nothing around the neck and nothing between the legs. That is what A disliked about the others. Even the different designs are adorable and stylish. She wore this swimming to swimming pools, beaches, and waterparks. We had no problem with it or getting her to wear it. She played as if she wasn't even wearing anything. It always held her upright. It never tilted her forward or backward. Even with waves and splashes and sudden moments.

We absolutely love this, and we give credit to this product for being the reason A loves the water as much as she does now. It gives her independence and safety. Two things that both a toddler and parent want when looking for an item like this.

It gave her lots of confidence to swim. In fact, she was scared to be in a pool or at the beach. This entire summer (once we received the Puddle Jumper) she wanted to swim by herself, and she let us know!

Here are some pictures of her wearing it:

The Puddle Jumper can be purchased from Walmart, Target, and Amazon.com that I personally know of. We bought her's from our local BX. We will definitely be getting a second one for Baby E next year. No questions asked. 

First Impression: Neutrogena Wave

So recently while I was shopping at the commissary, I noticed that they had this gadget like thing that was for cleaning your face. It is the Neutrogena Wave. I didn't buy it immediately because I assumed it was one of those things that look cool and interesting but are actually a complete waste of money. I have only tried it once, so I have no idea yet. But I thought it would be fun to do a fist impressions of it. These types are popular among beauty gurus, and I didn't find any legit reviews of the product. So I thought I would write my first impressions and after a month or so I could come back for a full review of the product.

Here's the product:

When I first saw this product, I immediately wondered if it was a cheaper version to the Clarisonic Mia. I know many people rave over that, but I can't help but wonder if they only do it for the incentives that come with promoting the product and using their discount codes to buy it. After some research, I learned that they are two totally different products. They can't be compared to at all. The Clarisonic offers way, way, way more than this $8 product, which should not be surprising when you see the price of the Clarisonic. 

I bought the Neutrogena Wave (NW) the other day. I have been on a buying new products when I see them in fear of me not being able to get my hands on them later. This should not be a surprise as the military always sells stuff then stops and you are left without it. If you really want to give it a try, then you get it while you can without second guessing the next opportunity. Bottom Line... I bought it. For $8. 

It comes with a $2.00 off refill coupon as well as 2 weeks supply of the foaming pads that attach to its head. It takes a AA battery, which is also included. 

I finally decided to give it a go last night. I figured the best time to use it was at night. Maybe I am wrong? I used it. The vibrating was something new to me, and honestly it was a bit weird. But I got use to it quickly. I began massaging my face in a circular motion that it suggests doing. I did my whole face. After doing my first cheek, I felt a tingle and burning sensation. At first it worried me. I wondered if my face was turning red. But it didn't. My face definitely felt clean and soft like it claims. I could actually see clearly where my oily areas are, which I think is a good thing because that means it is cleaning pretty deep. I just don't know if it is pulling too much oil. After all, we do need some oils to keep a healthy glow in our skin. I made sure to moisturize afterwards. 

I woke up feeling great. I felt like my skin actually felt really good. I was impressed. I definitely admit that I enjoyed it. I; however, am scared to use it every night because I do have sensitive skin. I worry that it may pull too much from my skin and cause me to get dry, to break out, and damage my skin. 

I have known too many people in my life who cleaned their face so much to try and get rid of acne that they actually caused more problems. I do not want to be that person. With that said, I will probably use it every other night for now. Then I will do a full review on the product and see how things change over time. 

Have you tried it? Have you heard of it? I saw that it won some award back in 2007 or 2009. This is the first I have heard of it or seen it. 

Remember, I am on vacation until August 25, so all post are scheduled until then.