Simply Straight™ Ceramic Straightening Brush Review & Giveaway

The information, product, and giveaway have been provided to me by Ontel. All thoughts and opinions are my own as always. 

I have had my eye on the Simply Straight™ Ceramic Straightening Brush for about a year now. I've seen the commercials on TV and love the idea of a brush that can smooth and straighten hair rather than using a damaging flat iron. Ever since I had my last child, my hair has changed a lot. It used to be super sleek and straight and now it is wavy and unpredictable. I couldn't wait to put this beauty tool to the test!

Information about Simply Straight™:

Simply Straight™ is a ceramic straightening brush that provides a revolutionary way to straighten and smooth all types of hair in minutes, without flattening, frying or damaging tresses. Perfectly straightens hair fast and easy!

Simply Straight™ combines the power of salon heat straightening up to 450° with the gentle styling ability of a brush to make straightening hair as easy as brushing it. The unique ceramic-wrapped bristles easily detangle and lift hair at the root to evenly deliver gentle heat around every strand, for straight, healthy, shiny hair that’s manageable and loaded with volume.

Combining innovation with simplicity, Simply Straight™ effortlessly tames unruly curls, waves and frizz, delivering long-lasting salon-quality results in no time. Simply Straight™ has adjustable temperatures for specific hair types and heats up to the ideal temperature in seconds.

Simply Straight’s™ bristles are coated for safe and gentle straightening and a voluminous finish. The Simply Straight™ brush heats up fast and has an “auto shut off” feature that activates after 60 minutes of power.

For best results and a sleek finish, use on dry hair and brush slowly in a pulling motion to ensure hair gets deep into the inner area of the brush.

So does it actually work? Here is a before and after shot. As you can see, I have uneven waves and after using Simply Straight™, my hair became straight and silky. I did set the temperature fairly high since I have very thick and resistant hair. 

I am pleased with how easy it is to use as well as the end result. I don't see smoke coming from my hair like I normally would using a flat iron. It also did not snag or pull my hair at all. I do suggest that you brush or comb through your hair before using. This will be a great tool to pack when I travel for quick touch-ups. You can purchase Simply Straight™ here for only $39.99 and also at many major retailers. Be sure to follow Simply Straight on Facebook for promotions and updates. 

Want to try the Simply Straight™ Ceramic Straightening Brush out for yourself? One lucky Mom Files reader will win one of their very own! ($39.99 value) Enter below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents only and will end on July 22, 2016. Be sure to follow rules within Rafflecopter widget for entries to count. Mom Files is NOT responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. One winner will be contacted via email to claim prize. Good luck! 

IHOP Turns 58! Get A Shortstack for 58 cents on July 12th

IHOP, the pioneer of the breakfast all-day, every-day movement celebrates their 58th birthday this summer! Since its inception in 1958, IHOP and their world famous buttermilk pancakes have remained a beloved All-American institution and breakfast icon for nearly six decades. On Tuesday July 12, IHOP is offering a 58 cent short stack of buttermilk pancakes to celebrate their 58th birthday.

Fun fact: The original cost of an IHOP short stack when the restaurant was founded in 1958 was 62 cents!

Keep Mosquitoes Away With A Thermacell Patio Shield Protection Lantern

It's summertime! Many of you may be participating in a lot of outdoor activities like cookouts, gardening, hanging out poolside, and more. We went through the catastrophic floods here in SC last year. It left behind so much damage and some people are still trying to recover. One thing the floods caused is a serious mosquito problem. We already have enough of them in SC, but now we have triple the amount. We can't be outside for long before someone gets bit. I don't always want to wear repellent on my skin and am always looking for alternate ways to keep those pesky blood suckers away.

I've heard about Thermacell lanterns before and was so intrigued by the video demo on how it works. Haven't heard of it before? Look at the short video below...



I received the Patio Shield Mosquito Protection Lantern to test out for myself. It comes with 1 butane cartridge, 3 repellent mats, and of course 1 LED lantern. It requires 3 AAA batteries that are not included. Just as the video instructed, you simply insert batteries, the butane cartridge, and a repellent mat in the slot. Turn it on and get ready for your outdoor fun! It provides a 15'x15' zone of protection. My son loves to refer to it as his very own force field.

Does it actually work? Let me tell you, if there are 1,000 people and one single mosquito, it will find its way to eat me up. My Thermacell lantern keeps them away! I sat out in my back yard recently for one hour and I was able to go inside completely untouched by mosquitoes and biting flies. Now we can say goodbye to the candles that do not work and say hello to Thermacell. This makes me so happy that I don't have to hide inside anymore.

Buy it: You can find a store near you here. I'm pleased to see that my local Walmart and Home Depot carry them. I forgot to mention that you can purchase refills as well. There are personal sized units as well as a variety of lanterns and torches. I keep my lantern in my mud room for each time I want to go outside. I don't miss the sprays one bit! I will be taking it with me when I go to my neighbor's cookout next weekend. I'm sure everyone will want to sit by me :)

Thank you Thermacell for providing me with a review unit. All opinions are my own as always and I simply love this product! 

Amazing Foodie Gift Ideas With a Difference

Thinking up the perfect gift for any foodies you know can sometimes be tricky. It’s best to make sure you have as much information as you can. So, check these ideas out, and use them to help you make the perfect choice of gift for the foodie in your life.

Spices

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One of the perfect gifts to get anyone who's a food nut is spices. That's because these last a long time, and they can go great with any kind of food or meal. So, you need to think about the perfect spices to get as a gift for someone. I would suggest taking a look at RawSpiceBar and the gift boxes they offer. You can find plenty of weird and wonderful spices here. These would make the perfect gift items for any foodies that you know.
 
Hampton Creek

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As well as using spices as a gift, you might also want to consider Hampton Creek products. They specialize in making eggless mayonnaise, and, recently, cookie dough as well. Hampton Creek represents the future of the way in which food products may develop. Though seen, and marketed as vegan mayo, it is also something that is enjoyed by those who want to be more healthy. So, if the foodie in your life fancies a health kick as well, then this would be perfect for them.

Hamper

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You might also decide that you’d like to go with a hamper. These are generally a great idea when you’re buying for a foodie. You can get lots of different hampers to choose from, and you may even be able to make your own as well. That's why it’s important to ensure you have a look at the types of things on offer before you start. A hamper is the perfect way of including a little bit of everything in the gift. That way you will be able to appeal to a much wider collective of foodies. Try to customize your hamper to suit the interests of the person you’re buying for.

Gin Kit

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Okay, so it’s not exactly a food, but who doesn't like a gin and tonic?! And, these days it has become very popular for people to make their own gin using kits. That's why this would be an ideal gift for someone who is a food and booze fan. You can choose from a lot of different options when it comes to gin kits. And, a quick search online will reveal many different kinds of kits to choose from. A gin kit is an excellent gift for anyone and will show a bit of thought and effort on your part. It’s also something a little different from what someone would normally receive.

You have to bear in mind that buying gifts for the foodies in your life can be a challenge. These are generally people who know a lot more about food than you do. So, it can be tricky to find the right kind of gift for them. That's why you sometimes need to think outside the box. Use the suggestions on here to come up with a few ideas to get you started.

College Commuter Student's Perspective

Today's conversation is sponsored by the Michelin 

There is so much to think about when you are preparing to send your young adult children to college. Whether they are out of the state, in-state or local, there is a lot of planning involved. Both of our daughters attend college locally at the University of South Carolina, and commute back and forth. It was a united family decision that they both live at home at least for the first two years of college. It has been about 3 years now since my older daughter, Chardonnay started at USC and it has worked out with the commuting aside from the complaints of early wake-up times, traffic, or simply feelings of 'not wanting to drive today'. I've shared those feelings of not wanting to drive for many years (carpool pick-ups/drop-offs, sports, after-school activities, and more).

I asked Chardonnay to give me her personal list of pros and cons of living on campus vs off and here is what she came up with.

Pros of living on campus:
• Easy access to everything on campus, easier to get involved
• Easier to make friends because you have roommate, suitemates, people on your hall
• You can wake up 30 minutes before class starts and still be on time
• Don’t have to deal with traffic

Cons of living on campus:
• Might not have a car, so you might feel as if you’re stuck on campus
• More expensive to live on campus (cost of housing, meal plan, etc.)
• Limited meal options because of meal plans
• Not much privacy
• Homesickness

Pros of living off campus:
• More privacy and independence (depending on where you live)
• Home-cooked meals

Cons of living off campus:
• Have to get up much earlier to get to campus on time
• You can feel disconnected from campus
• Not as easy to make friends
• Spend more on gas
• Feeling of missing out

As a parent, I think that being there for your new college student both emotionally and physically are key to helping them make that transition. There were so many adjustments to be made during the first full year. One of them is when you decide to let you student have their own car. I'm sure my daughter must have been sick to death of me nagging about driver safety. An 18 year-old may think they know everything, but they have so much to learn when it comes to being responsible for their own car.

My husband had to go through so many details in regards to fueling up the vehicle, when you need an oil change or service, and using common sense to determine if there might be an issue with the tires or brakes. She has experienced a couple of minor fender benders, but seems to finally have a handle on being cautious and responsible when behind the wheel of a car. She never gets a single mile over the recommended oil change time, and gets her tires checked regularly. I guess on the perks of living at home is she can get assistance right away if there is any issue with the car.

Are you a parent of a college student or have a high school senior preparing for their next journey? You can share your stories or moments on social media using the #BeThereMoments hashtag and check out the stories on the Be There Moments website by Michelin. As parents, it is so important for us to simply be there for our college kids, don't you think?