Product Review - MonaVie

This month I had the privilege of reviewing something a little different. I was approached to try MonaVie for 2 weeks and document my experience. What makes this different than before? This was a long term commitment for a true experience. Before it has been 1-2 experiences with one product documented after short term use.




My distributor Andrea Ugalde arranged for me to receive 2 bottles of MonaVie Active to consume over a 2 week period. I was to drink 2 ounces twice a day. I decided the best way for me to commit and consume this product regularly was once when I woke and just before bed.

Here is some brief information found on their site about the formula I will be reviewing.

Enhances your body's joint health.
MonaVie Active features the additional benefits of plant-derived glucosamine, which has been scientifically shown to promote healthy joint function by targeting mobility and flexibility. Designed to support joint performance and recovery, this vital formula delivers the resources your body needs to get moving.


Supports your body's antioxidant and nutritional needs.
MonaVie features a delicious blend of the Brazilian acai berry - one of nature's top superfoods - and 18 other body-beneficial fruits. This Balance-Variety-Balance approach to nutrition delivers powerful antioxidants and phytonutrients to help fight free radicals and maintain your body's overall health.

I received the bottles and literature on January 9, 2009 just 4 days after our discussion concerning the product review. I received 2 bottles well packaged and an envelope full of information about MonaVie.

I began taking MonaVie on the morning of January 13, 2009 with 2 ounces as instructed. I have kept my bottles in the refrigerator as suggested for the best flavor.

My initial reaction was my thought of the feel of the product. It reminded me of a very thin smoothie. It was not very sweet but it also did not feel as though it lacked sweetness. As a whole food product as it has been explained this only contained its natural sugars found in the fruit itself. While this was something different than I have ever tried I was not turned off. Being someone so picky about her food those around me actually took notice I didn't cringe at the thought of having to continue this for 2 weeks.

The first 1-3 days I did not notice any change and my notes did not indicate anything different. I noted my weight on day 1 and will reweigh on day 14. I noted pain levels, my mood, my appetite, my energy. Everything I do in a normal day is being noted so if there is a change that I may not notice, I will find it within my notes.

Day 4 one thing was different. I did not take a nap. This was different as the last several months I have been battling heavy fatigue during the day to the point I was falling asleep at the computer if I did not tell myself to take an appropriate nap. I was still tired though just did not need a nap.

I had expected to go through detox after a couple of days and on day 5 I still had not. I may have just not noticeable enough to be outright obvious it was detox. I again had no nap on day 5.

Day 6 I was tired enough to take a nap. I did all I could to keep my eyes open but like most days in the past several months fatigue took over. This day I noticed I was thirsty more than usual. I usually go through about 5 large glasses of diluted Crystal Light and random glasses of water through the day. This day I increased to 8 glasses of Crystal Light and more water. I did not record my random glasses of water as I should have so this information is not available.

Day 7 I noticed I made less mistakes. Being I have adult ADD and have lived with ADD since my youth I felt every piece of my history should be noted at any change. I noted all mistakes, anything forgotten, anything started that was not completed when it should have. While the it was not significant I did make fewer simple mistakes than usual. I am still thirsty. I drank 7 glasses of Crystal Light and 2 full glasses of water but again I did not notate all random drinks of water.

Day 8-9 mistakes were lesser by 10% from when I started, my energy level seemed higher. I felt less tired, no naps. Less thirsty. This day I recorded 6 glasses of Crystal Light, 2 glasses of water, and notated I felt I made less trips to the sink for a drink of water. I did however note my back hurt a bit more than usual. I have chronic pain stemming from nerve damage in my low back and sciatica as well as arthritis in my pelvis. I have dealt with this since Jan 2004 when I became disabled and unable to work outside of the home. Bad days are not unusual but I did note it so I am including it.

Day 10 I was once again tired to the point I needed a nap. I noted in my diary I thought I only took 2 naps to this point. Looking back I can see I did still take naps the first 3 days. While I have leveled out on mistakes meaning no more than when I started and no less than I indicated earlier in this review I did notice I felt sharper. When I did make a mistake I seem to catch them faster. When a tough question was presented I didn't think on it as long. My husband noticed this as well. My fidgeting has not lessened or my constant being on the go did not drop.

Day 11 my back once again is noted as being painful. I had more bathroom trips this day than other days. Nothing seemed unusual just more frequent. No nap today. I did find myself standing and stretching more often to find renewed energy and just keep my joints and back from tightening. Today I seemed more aware of time. No notations of losing track of time especially when it came to making dinner on time. This day I began working on a dinner plan about 5pm instead of the usual 6pm close to the time my husband is to arrive home.

Day 12 I took my morning shot late. It actually came around 2pm in the afternoon. My appetite seemed less. Even when bored I didn't seem to be hungry. When I ate my portions seemed lesser than the previous 11 days. I went to bed earlier this day. No more tired than usual just in bed earlier.

Day 13 my appetite was the same and had not increased to before. I felt good. Energy was up. Not tired. No nap needed. One thing did happen and that was my back went out on me. Felt as though someone took a bat across the lowest part of my back closest to my hips.

Day 14 still in pain. I was tired this day and did require a nap. My appetite was the same. No increase. My thirst increased again; 8 glasses of Crystal Light 3 glasses of water. I had a hard time holding my weight for long so my weight was not taken this day. My final shot for the 2 weeks left me with just over 1/2 a shot in the bottle.
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Although this was a 14 day review I did take the last bit left the MonaVie. This day I was able to stand long enough to support my own weight without assistance so I did take my weight. I did not have a weight loss during the 14 day product review.

During this 14 day review I did notice a few differences - my energy level increased, fatigue was lesser, appetite decreased towards the end of the 14 day review, I became more aware of time, I made 10% less mistakes than when I started, felt sharper during normal day to day tasks during work and personal time. Others noticed some differences and even commented.

Overall my experience with MonaVie has been very positive. The increased energy was a blessing. Nobody could explain the decrease expect for to suggest exercise and change in diet. Without changing anything I did during a normal day including my diet my energy was noticeable. I still had occasion to take naps but certainly not daily as my routine dictated the last several months. While I did notice my appetite decrease I had wished it occurred earlier in the review for better notation. Just seeing the decrease with no changes in my day to day life and diet I was pleased to see my body told me when I had enough before I felt full.

In the end I think this is a fabulous product. I was hesitant at first since I have tasted product like these and they were definitely lacking in the pleasant department. I did hope that being the MonaVie Active formula I would notice some difference in movement or even pain. Had this been a longer review this may have been the case so I cannot fault the product in this area.

I do recommend this product. The experience was wonderful and enlightening. I felt better overall and found something to address an issue that has been bothersome and even embarrassing at times; my energy level.

Andrea Ugalde has been fantastic during this entire process. She has been very attentive, answered my questions fully and within a reasonable time frame. She contacted me several times during this process to see how I was doing and answer any questions I had without feeling as though I was bombarded. Unlike many representatives/distributors I have come across lately, Andrea has been very professional through and through.

I am curious to see how things would take shape after a full month of continued use. I will be looking into making a purchase and exploring this during a full month.

MonaVie can be ordered from Andrea's website at http://www.thegreatproduct.com/ugalde. More information is available about MonaVie if you contact Andrea at Ugalde.RUJuiced@yahoo.com. She can provide you with literature about MonaVie and she has information on opportunities with MonaVie. If you have ever been curious about MonaVie I encourage you to contact Andrea for more information and see is MonaVie is right for you.

***UPDATE***
Andrea has just announced during February you can join MonaVie as a distributor for free. Contact Andrea Ugalde at Ugalde.RUJuiced@yahoo.com for more information on how to sign up and the benefits you receive as a MonaVie distributor.

*I am in no way associated with MonaVie or compensated for my personal product review. My statements are my personal experience and do not directly reflect the views and opinions of MonaVie or Andrea Ugalde.

Olivia Vidal
© 2009
http://sochicbagboutique.com

Product Review - Just Tarts

In October I attended an auction in hopes of a young girl to attend today's inauguration. During that auction I was able to bid on and win a set of assorted tarts from Just Tarts donated by Dena Jones. After resolving a mishap that occurred with receiving my original winnings it only took approximately 5 days to receive my order once handled this January.

*stock photo from the Just Tarts site to show example

I received 24 individual soy tarts in 4 scents - Sweet Pea, Creme Brulee, Muscadine Grape, Grandmas Kitchen. These soy tarts are package in individual containers with a lid. A very clever convenience is each individual tart is labeled with its scent name so there is no mix up.

I was very pleased at the quality of product and the ease of use. These are simple soy tarts without coloring but fantastic fragrance. All you need to do is remove the lid and turn the container over. The tart slips out easily. What I really like about this is your scent is preserved in a closed container rather than in the open and lose some of the intensity over time. Another great thing I found is if I decide the tart I have in the warmer is no longer the scent I wish I can pour the warm wax back into the container for later use. I get to save it for later.

They came carefully wrapped and placed in an envelope. No tarts or containers were damaged in the process.

Once I received my order Dena contacted me to see that I did in fact receive my order and to see how I liked them. Being my first order I was appreciative of this attention.

I do plan to make future purchases from Just Tarts. And at only $0.60 a tart you can mix and match any way you choose at this great price.

You can place an order through Dena at
http://ww11.aitsafe.com/go.htm?go=www.justtarts.com&afid=10797

*I am in no way associated with Just Tarts other than as a customer. I am not compensated for my product review by Dena or Just Tarts.

Olivia Vidal
So Chic Bag Boutique
©2009

Ready for your product to be reviewed?

Our reader list is increasing (not the same as followers) and that means more opportunity for your product and name out to a larger audience. Starting in January product reviews will become a regular sight here are Liv's WAHM Blog. With 150+ unique visitors a week and a 60% return rate, this is a great opportunity for your product to reach the audience your deserve.

Why do a product review?
How many times have you seen a great product but unsure if it is something you should spend money on? A company you have never tried and nervous about the outcome? A consultant you just met and no relationship built? A product review allows potential customers to search out experiences and see how others have felt about your product. Many times this speaks volumes louder than a simple ad. Many people seek these out but rarely find an experience by someone not associated with the product and only wants to sell them a product or service. This can lead to lost sales. I have 2 product reviews currently available for review here at Liv's WAHM Blog. I know of 3 people who contacted me to let me know they purchased the pedipaws simply because of my personal experience. It was a simple unbiased documentation of my experience without anger or expectations.

What is included in a product review?

I will answer the following questions:

Name of Company
Name of Consultant or Owner
Website URL (if available)
Contact Information
How to order
Product(s) received for review
How long take to receive product(s)
Condition of product(s)
How and what product(s) is used for
Ease of Use
Communication during process
Qualities of product(s)
Overall opinion of product
Any additional information I feel is pertinent to your product review

The question I get frequently is do I post negative reviews. The answer is yes. Here is my reasoning. If someone sends me a product to try and review and there are several reasons for me not to recommend a product, I will post that information. Our readers want real experiences by a real person not trying to sell them a product. They are not looking for glorified advertisements. In a virtual world customers cannot try products themselves. Product reviews by someone who has tried the product and are willing to give an honest and fair observation and experience. This is how they can decide whether a product is worth purchasing. Of course I will not post a negative review for someone who's package arrived late for situations beyond their control (ex. bad weather). These are case by case and during this process communication is key.

What is required for product review?

Product- This can either be sample sizes or full size. Which every is preferable for you. Samples can be easiest to allow for more than one product(s) to be reviewed. More than 1 sample of each product is recommended to allow a fair assessment and review of the product(s).
Your full name - Potential customers want to know you are a real person and possibly conduct their own investigation as to who you are. This is not a scary thing. People just want to know you are trust worthy.
Website URL - Potential customers many times wish to view the product on the site and obtain any additional information about the product and/or company
Company name - This is quite obvious
Are you a consultant (or preferred title) or owner - potential customers want to know who they are dealing with.
Contact information to include email - If you cannot be contacted most will not want to purchase from you. They want to know they can contact you with any questions, concerns, or additional information.
Any special instructions needed for use of product - I need to know exactly how a product is used. If I use a product incorrectly, your review may be inaccurate for various reasons. If instructions are not included I need these as well as your customers can use this information in their decision making.
How to order - Does ordering take place via website, email, in person. Also include accepted payment types. If a customer has a specific credit card they wish to use, they need to know they can use it to make a purchase.
Shipping times - This is only to show when a product is expected to arrive from the time a potential customer orders to the time it ships. Also include how an order is shipped (USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc)
Send pictures of your product or I can take my own pictures to post - This is so customers have a visual reference to the product you offer. Many people are visual people and will remember what a product looks like before they remember a name. This gives a face to the product name.
Include a banner (if available).
Include any other additional information you feel is necessary for your review.

IMPORTANT: Do not send your product for review package in any extra special way. It needs to come as though any customer has ordered. How your package arrives will be documented. You do not want to hurt your future sales because you sent it extraordinary and others only receive the ordinary. While the gesture is very much appreciated, just send your product in the way you would normally ship.

If you choose to send a product that would require a length of time to review (ex. change or improvement over 7 days) send enough product for this. I cannot offer a fair review if it needs to be used or observed over a period of time and all I receive is a one time use.

There will be occasions where I will hold a review party. At this time these will be held every other month starting in February. What this means is I will gather a group of ladies to try your product and issue their separate review. They will receive a questionnaire outlined above. I will post the groups review individually. If you wish your product be part of a review party you will be asked to send multiple samples or full product of the same product. As an example only, you may be asked to send as many as 10 or as little as 4. I will post about an upcoming review party and list how many women will be attending.

Your review will appear here and I will also send a copy to you. I will also include a link so you are able to use your review in your chosen advertisement. We are looking for items a woman would use. Whether an item strictly for a mother or an item both a man and woman can use. I will not be accepting men only items at this time. This may change at a later date.

Are you ready for your review? Have questions? Contact Olivia at disneyandmickeyfan@yahoo.com with Product Review in subject line.

On the hunt

Lately I have been on the look out, even a hunt, for WAHM (work at home mom/mother) companies. Being a WAHM myself building and running a small direct sales company, I want to support other moms just like myself. Not necessarily do they have to be owned and ran by the person I come in contact. Just a company that allows mothers to stay home and make a great living.


In my quest I find myself examining, observing, testing products to see what makes them so special. Why this company? Why would I want to be a customer? Why would I recommend it to others? I think we all go through some level of this situation each time we try a new restaurant, test drive a new car, sample a new product one Saturday afternoon of grocery shopping. I just happen to write about anything related to a WAHM including their company.

I continue to write about products and services found outside of the WAHM world. Many of us want to hear what others have to say and that is where I come in. That is also where my readers come in. What do you want to hear about?

I find that real life experience has been helpful when I do research on a new product. Instead of getting a glorified sales pitch telling me how great something is by someone wanting to sell me something, I get a real review. These are uncommon it seems but I do find them. As I discover something new and exciting or even dull and worthless I want to write about it. If I buy something completely useless and a waste of my money I want others to know why I will not recommend such a product. Not just a hateful vent about how I was ripped off.

I will not just be writing about what I find online but also in the stores. While I will be focusing on WAHM owned businesses I will not be exclusive to these. Ever see those ads on tv about something wonderful and want to know how it really stands up? You may very well find that here. Just as you found my Predipaws review. If they relate to a woman and/or mother or families, I will be reviewing these.

What do you want to hear about? I may just go out and try it myself and post my review here.

Product Review - Little Divas

Earlier this year I came across an adorable WAHM shop that makes bows called Little Divas. Not only bows but several handcrafted items. These included the cutest pair of korker flip flops I have come across. I am all about branding my business so I decided to order these unique shoes. Being they were quite different from the norm, I was sure to have heads turn.

I chose my colors (pink, white, black), my shoes size, and my order was off for processing. A little over a week later they arrived well packaged. I open the box carefully and there they are! These ordinary black flip flops with a clever twist. Korker ribbons in my chosen colors. I tried them on and they felt so delicate across my toes. I was afraid they would be uncomfortable or poke at my feet as I walked but I was very wrong. Now I am hooked.

A month ago my company, So Chic Bag Boutique, was offering a special tote that included items from WAHM shops. Little Divas owner, Trish, graciously offered several clippies from her collection for our tote special. They arrived well crafted, well packaged, professional cards. Our customers were very pleased with the wonderful hair clippies.

The professionalism of this shop is superior. If you are looking for handcrafted bows and other great gifts, I highly recommend visiting Little Divas. They also carry hand crocheted items that I found quite lovely. If you have several bows they have some great bow holders. If you have a infants or toddlers beginning to hold a bottle, you just have to check out there Lilybugs. I wish someone created something this fun and functional when my son was young. These would have been great for his early motor skills.

You don't have to take my word for their great products. Visit them yourself and see why I am raving about them.

Click here to visit Little Divas


*I am not affiliated nor do I receive compensation for such product reviews.

Olivia Vidal
So Chic Bag Boutique
©2008

Product Review - Pedipaws™

I am sure by now we have all see the new pet nail trimmers on TV. The boast trimming pet nails with ease by gently filing the nails. I paid particular attention to Pedipaws™

I decided to give this a try and purchased one from a local drug store after they hit the stores.

I like the style of the product itself. Doesn't feel bulky or too heavy. After turning the motor on, it was quieter than I expected. Reminded me of the low hum of an electric razor if I had to describe it. My dogs were not afraid of it. They were curious more than anything.

My first test was on the smallest of my fur clan. Our chihuahua. He is not very keen on having anyone touch his feet so this was going to be an adventure. The first nail he wasn't too sure about it and was ready to wiggle off. We found a good seating position and carried on. Being he is what I like to call my ADD child, he was bored quick but didn't really appear upset about the device.

We were challenged with getting his nails positioned right. Being tiny feet (about 1"x 1 1/2"" trying to get the space between his toes to complete this trim was difficult. Almost to the point of discomfort. After repositioning a few times trying to find a better way to trim not only the long nails from being an inside dog but also the space between his nails to file all surfaces and not just the very tip, I came up with an idea. Remove the guard. I can now maneuver between his tiny toes and trim further than the guard would allow.

Next time to try this product on my next smallest clan member. Our poodle mix. She is about twice the size of our chihuahua - weight and size. With the guard trimming her nails was easier although with the guard off proved better. I was better able to scuplt her nails leaving no jagged edges or any nail frays.

The larger 2 of our fur clan, 2 labs, were a breeze. Their nails fit easily in the guard all around and were not affected by the device or noise.

One piece of advice that I may have missed in the instructions was the guard opening where the nail goes, have the notch at the top and not the bottom. If it is at the bottom I found it caught all 4 of the fur clan nails between the guard and the spinning emery wheel. This can he difficult to work around if you are right handed but it can be done. With the way it is constructed the notch is meant for the bottom.

I recommend it for anyone with a medium sized dog or larger. Smaller can be difficult enough to only end up in the drawer to collect dust. If you have a dremmel I recommend getting the wheel attachment instead. Just as easy just without the guard. We do have a dremmel and I do find it can be easier to pull out the battery operated device from time to time instead. It is a matter of perference.

If you decide to make the purchase, I think it can be worth the small investment for the convenience alone.

I in no way represent Pedipaws™, manufacture of Pedipaws™, or distributors, nor do I sell or distribute this product. I have received no compensation for my product review. I am purely documenting my own experience as a consumer with the product to pass along to others like myself who may be interested in this product not sold by myself.

Olivia Vidal
© Copyright 2008
http://sochicbagboutique.com