Pineapple Lime Tropical Body Butter

                     - Pineapple Lime Tropical Body Butter -

  This one, of course I totally love, but I'm so fond of the scent. I've had the same love for all of the Hawaiian Body Products, but I'm a little extra happy with this one. I really am a fan of lime and pretty much anything tropical scented, but this one seems to be the one I tend to go for most often.

  It's amazingly hydrating and as the others do, it also leaves a lingering scent of  lime and pineapple all over the body that lasts all day. The scent reminds me a lot of a Pina Coloda. That is my favorite type of drink ever! I am obsessed with the stuff and apparently just as obsessed with the body butter as well.

  It's so thick, creamy and rich. By the time I used this Pineapple Lime Body Butter, I already expected it to be wonderful and it was even better than expected. Of course it didn't leave any greasy residue or sticky-ness. It did leave me extra smooth.

  Works wonders for softening and bringing a beautiful glow to skin. It was also very soothing for razor burn. I'm so silky!

 Here's the link (where my dreams come from) : http://www.hawaiianbodyproducts.com/

 

Why My Sex Drive and Energy Levels are High and Stress low

Maca is a lot of things (all of which will be discussed in this post), but one of the most amazing effects it has is the ability to increase sex drive and energy levels to impressively high amounts.

Speaking of my favorite benefits of Maca,  it's  also an adaptogen (meaning it improves your body’s ability to heal  and adapt, which is why it’s used to battle stress). 

 This is probably one of the most exciting blog posts I've ever worked on, and one of the most exciting herbs I have ever used.

In this post I'll share my experience with it so far, my experience with The Root Of The Matter in general and also the benefits/effects of using Maca powder, so get ready because I have done my research!

Where Maca Comes From

Maca is grown in Peru, in the Andes, and has been used

Maca Root(Image source: Limetreelife.com)

by Incans as an “ancient superfood.” Maca is considered a food, but that's not the only thing!

Due to all the amazing (almost outlandish sounding) claims I've heard of Maca powder, my interest was increasing. I kept reading about Maca's benefits and how to obtain it from a reputable source. From there,  I was lead to The Root of the Matter, which is where the Maca I'm using came from, as well as several herbs (that I'm very excited to share about with ya'll as well, but haven't completed my posts on them all). 

Gelatinized Version and Why I Use It

I started using The Root Of The Matter's Maca powder in gelatinized form  over a month ago.

The Label includes The Root of The Matter's nutritional and food supplement information on their Maca.

During my research, I read that a lot of people complained of having extreme cases of stomach pain after weeks of using non-gelatinized Maca powder. 

Maca Powder color varies, and tends to be darker tan when gelatinized.

 (Image source: Natural-fertility-info.com

Most people who experienced this said it wasn't sudden, but came on after weeks of use. 

Since I've already done enough stomach-pain suffering, I decided not to chance it and to go with The Root Of The Matter's gelatinized version of Maca powder, and here's why...

Gelatinized Maca powder is said to not cause the stomach pain people tend to get from using raw maca powder.

 It's just something about Maca in its raw form, and although there are a lot of guesses as to why this happens, nobody's all that sure. I read that the Incans always consume it cooked -- only cooked, so it makes sense to go with the gelatinized version.

What Exactly Does Gelatinized Mean?

If I've done my researching correctly, gelatinized Maca means the starch has been extracted. Removing the starch makes the Maca easier to digest and I've also read that it makes it easier to absorb. 

Gelatinized usually means it's been exposed to some heat. The Root of The Matter's Maca Powder is sun-dried, which was an important thing for me when I was looking into finding the best possible Maca powder.

Sun-dried means the heat is not high enough to destroy nutritional content, but enough to remove starch content.

I've read that you can get the non-gelatinized version and bake it (different people recommend different degrees, but most say 300 - 350 F)  for at least 30 minutes. Others say bake  longer. 

Apparently, baking it removes the stomach-pain-causing properties. I cannot attest to that as I didn't risk it, and went with gelatinized. 

However, it may be important to also note that some people claim that baking Maca powder will cause it to lose some of its efficiency or nutritional properties. 

As we know, cooking things sometimes destroys the nutrients/enzymes. On the other hand, a lot of people have also said they felt like baking the Maca powder intensified its properties/efficiency and mineral content, so I suppose it's really just something you have to experiment with to know how you'll prefer it, personally.

           I have been experimenting by doing different amounts of Maca and trying it in different foods/drinks. I'll get to that later.

The Root Of The Matter does carry a   non-gelatinized form of Maca powder, as well as a  product called Monster Maca! It's more powerful, from what I have read, so I was no doubt impressed by the selection of Maca. 

 Taste

Maca Powder, to my tongue, has a nutty flavor most comparable to hazelnut, in my opinion.

 I've described it as tasting like powdered cheerios, too.

Image source: Trademarkia.com

The Root Of The Matter's Maca Powder is sweet and very, fine/powdery. This made me think it wouldn't mix well in drinks, and end up at the bottom, until I tried it and  found that it dissolves better than any powder-product I've ever mixed in a drink before. 

I can easily add it to coffee or other drinks without getting a mouthful of thick powder once I reach the bottom. 

I mostly take Maca with my coffee.  Since it has what I think of as a nutty flavor, it tastes fine in a coffee with 1 hazelnut creamer. Or without creamer at all, which is usually how I get it. 

The Maca Powder gives the coffee a slightly sweeter taste.

You can add Maca Powder to many different foods or drinks, so it's best to just to get creative and experiment. 

Image source: Pixelscrapper.com

I've read some interesting, delicious-sounding recipes for Maca Powder, but have yet to get time to really try many of them. If you go to The Root of The Matter and scroll down their "How To Use This Stuff Page," you'll find where Ken has taken the time to put up recipes for using the Maca. He says it goes well with hot chocolate! I, too, think this would be a great way to enjoy it, but have yet to try it myself.

Maca will go wonderfully with oatmeal, cereal, milkshakes, some smoothies. I've heard a lot of people say they put it in yogurt. 

I've sprinkled some on a peanut butter and even white chocolate chip macadamia cookies and thought it was great. I could barely taste the maca powder when I rolled it into the chocolate chip macadamia dough. 

 I've said several times that maca cookies would be delicious. I'm seriously considering rolling it into some sugar cookie dough. 

You can use it to bake like you would flour. In fact, it reminds me a little of almond flour.

I've also added a teaspoon to an eggnog milkshake and let me just say yum! It also worked to mask the somewhat potent taste of the Maca better than most foods/drinks I've tried it in. 

I've discussed how Maca powder would be good sprinkled on ice cream (vanilla, a banana split, etc.). Toast perhaps. Bagels?  Muffins? I've tried those with nice results. I just don't add a whole teaspoon to one food item (it might be too much on one small muffin.) So instead, I spread my doses out a little some days by adding it to different foods.

Mixed with Nutella, peanut butter and especially a peanut butter/banana sandwich! 

Image source: Learnsomethingeveryday.co.uk

Or Eat it By the Spoon!

Maca has a decent flavor . Most people end up  enjoying it by the spoon. .  . Unless you're like Isaac Newton, and in that case... add to a drink, or ... use nature's spoons -- your hands?

 As I've grown used to its unique flavor, I've gotten to where I can easily down a half a teaspoon with some water. It took some practice to build up to it, but it's something I came to quickly adjust to. Like coffee or say, BC Powders. At first, it never tastes good, but you begin to crave and love the taste over time.

The only thing I've not cared for is when dumped straight into my mouth from a full teaspoon, it can stick to the roof of my mouth, so it's necessary to have water on-hand if I'm taking it straight like that. Not that the left-over tastes of Maca I get every few minutes when it's stuck aren't lovely. It's pretty pleasant and keeps me from wanting chocolate so much.

Maca's Full Nutritional Content 

(To the best of my knowledge, anyway. It's very possible that I left something out as Maca is truly crammed full of nutritional stuff. If you find that I've missed something, let me know & I'll gladly research it out and make the necessary fixes to my post.)

 Vitamins:   B1, B2, B12, C and E.

Minerals:  Calcium, Iron, Iodine, Phosphorous, Zinc and Magnesium.

      Other: 

• Protein

• Amino Acids and 22 Fatty Acids. 

• 55 different phytochemicals: 

Image source: askbettyowen.com

 *Note: The Root of The Matter sells organic Maca Powder (very important that it's organic!) Also, it doesn't contain any additives or fillers. It is sun dried.

**The Gelatinized Maca Powder from The Root of The Matter  has been Certified by The National University Of Agriculture La Molina In Peru To Have A Gelatinization Index (Percentage Of Maca That Is Digestable) Of 100%. You can even view the certificate from The Root of The Matter's website. 

Some of Maca's Properties: 

 Let's start with one of my favorites: The Sexual

Image source: Yourtruthdiet.wordpress.com

Due mostly to the plant sterols and amino acids contained in maca, it is considered (and rightly so!) an aphrodisiac as it truly, truly does increase libido (I'll go deeper into detail with my own experience after this section).

Image source: Memegenerator.net

• Has been successfully used to treat erectile dysfunction in some men.

  * 2 Two RCTs (Randomised Clinical Trials) "suggested a significant positive effect of maca on sexual dysfunction or sexual desire in healthy menopausal women or healthy adult men, respectively, while the other RCT failed to show any effects in healthy cyclists."

You can find that study here. 

The same article on Pub Med states that "the further RCT assessed the effects of maca in patients with erectile dysfunction using the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction-5 and showed significant effects."

• It increases sperm count (this could explain the below section I wrote about people claiming Maca got them pregnant.)  

Image source: Quickmeme.com

•  Maca also increases sperm count and improves sperm health.

• Maca Benefits female reproductive health.

 I read online that several women thought they were infertile and became pregnant after using maca! I'm not even kidding. 
I read these comments on places like Amazon and  there were dozens of people saying that they had unexpected pregnancies and some even claim it "cured" infertility, which I have no doubt that's true. 


Re-Balances Hormones and Hormonal Related Problems

• Maca is well-known for its incredible ability to balance out hormones, which actually came as a ginormous surprise to me as I experienced changes there as well.  

• Maca can help with PMS and menopause.

Study shows Maca improved menopausal symptoms.

• This PubMed article mentions a study aimed to show the "health status based on a health related quality of life" between maca users and non-maca users.  Maca consumers were shown to have "better health status" and lower chronic mountain sickness scores.

Maca May Increase Bum and Breast Growth

 I also read where several people said their breasts and behind got larger after taking maca. This was so shocking to me because there are millions of people on the hunt for breast and bum enlargement products, even I fell into that crap a few years ago and tried several myself. It's so surprising that Maca is not more popular for this. 

I know you guys are going to be asking me if my rear end and chest grew, (you wouldn't believe the millions of emails I get from a post I wrote on breast creams 2 years ago) so I'll go ahead and get to that:

I'm not sure, actually. It's been over a month, and I'm not sure, but I did have to check myself out after reading these claims and while this could be a placebo thing, I did think my rear looked... more firm. Okay, there you go.

Of course if in fact, Maca does cause some people's behinds and breasts to grow, then it makes us wonder if it also causes other areas to grow.

So I researched it. It shouldn't cause weight gain at all from what I've read. In fact, it's supposed to help with weight control and for some, maybe suppress appetite. 

Now, I will keep an eye on my behind and update if I grow anywhere. And if you still get in touch, I'm always happy to hear from ya'll, no matter the topic.

Aside from that, some people use maca for help increasing muscle growth. I suppose it would make sense that it could also increase your chest and/or bum, too then.

• Due to some of the contents, Maca is a fungicide and antiseptic.

The Energy and Metabolism

Energy! No jitters like caffeine. Boosts metabolism, energy and stenght. I can attest to this bigtime because my pole exp.

Scientists say the more times you use maca, the stronger your body gets!

The Skin

Maca is said to “desensitize” skin, so it can cause your skin to be less sensitive to harsh temperatures. It can clear acne and blemishes. Since Maca balances the hormones, it helps with hormonal breakouts, too.

• Maca can be used externally on the skin to help heal acne and other problems. It can be easily made into a paste by adding a couple drops of water and applied.

The Mind 

Image source: impactthinkers.com

• Depression, mood swings and stress are all drastically improved (in some people, it's going to always depend on the person).

• Increases mental focus

•  Enhances and improves our memory, ability to learn and causes us to be more alert. 

 Study showing Maca reduces anxiety and depression. 

Other Benefits: 

Image source: dhrd.hawaii.gov

• Can help lower HBP and cholesterol

• Provides nourishment to malnourished 

•  Reduces prostate enlargement

•  Since Maca is high in fiber,  it can be somewhat helpful for the digestive system.

•  Researches discovered that Maca has increased bone density in women who take it. 

Just to give you a visual. Image source: sdchirogroup.com

That was extremely good news to me, as most of you know, I've been working very hard to help build my bone density due to having some risks in that area.

• Promotes cartillage growth.

•  Improves liver function

•  Said to relieve migraines, which really caught my interest as I suffer from them often. 

(Source: Natural News)

My Results -- Migraines

I wasn't sure if I was seeing any change in my migraine pattern until the last week. It's common to wake up with a headache, and especially during a certain time of the month I never fail to have migraines for about 5 days straight from the moment I wake up.

That week is almost up and I've not had the first migraine. I did experience a few headaches, especially today after a chaotic incident, but it was interesting that only a while after feeling my head start pounding, I realized it had quit! Not 100% gone, but barely there! I even had my partner amazed at that.

Maca Dosage

Image source: Mycommunitycreative.com

The label on The Root of The Matter Maca Powder instructs with everything you need to know about using their Maca. Even then, you have hours of helpful information all over The Root of The Matter website, so I was able to take this stuff and feel absolutely comfortable.

The recommended starting dose is 1-3 teaspoons daily.

I started with half a  teaspoon since I'm always careful. Later that evening, I finished the other half. I thought I noticed a little pep in my step for a few minutes, but nothing to be sure of. 

I kept taking only 1 teaspoon a day like that for about 2 weeks, until I finally started thinking that this is just something I require a higher dose of. I usually require a lower dose of most supplements than the recommended amount, so I wasn't doing it right.

I then increased to two tablespoons for a few days and no doubt felt it. Then, yesterday, I did approximately 3 tablespoons and managed to accomplish some pretty unbelievable tasks considering the chaos going on and how down I was due to some crappy circumstances. 

Today, I increased to 3 tablespoons throughout the day and felt even better. I think I've found my right dosage -- 3 tablespoons.

Again, the suggested dosage on the label is 1-3 teaspoons daily.

Ken says, in his "How to Use This Stuff Page" that 1-2 heaping teaspoons of Gelatinized Maca Powder is best, but you can do more on days when you need to feel super good. 

Which brings me to this: I love being able to peruse the "How To Use This Stuff Page" on The Root of The Matter because during the first couple weeks, I wanted to be certain I wasn't screwing things up, and there's great info on The Root of The Matter for this kind of thing. 

 How long does Root Of The Matter Maca Keep?

2 years.

A Re-Cap of My Results/Experience With Maca 

(note: I will continue updating this section anytime I notice changes.) 

Increased libido : I don't want to go all "TMI" on you guys here, but holy guacamole! 
 

*Let me hurry and put a warning here: You can see where this is going (TMI = too much information), so if you're not into reading about someone's sex-drive, skip this section. Sorry, but it a huge change for me, so I had to include it in the post.

My partner when I "did you notice any difference after taking the Maca Powder? Was it better for you?"

Exactly the type of thing my partner has said to me! This cartoon describes a lot of moments between us, except the roles are reversed! Image source: Funnytimes.com

I never really thought I would see changes in things like my libido while taking Maca. I'd heard a lot about it having the ability to help with ED and all sorts of sexual stuff, but I just assumed I was all in-balance and that my sex drive would always be what it was -- average, maybe a tiny bit more than normal, I guess.  

However, the very first thing I even noticed while taking maca (even after two weeks!) was a super change in my libido. It was almost instant. Not even 4 whole days passed from the very first time I took Maca and I thought I was someone else.

Naturally, I assumed it was just a phase I get every month or so, until it didn't go away! It has actually increased so much that sexual activity has been every 2-3 days non-stop since the first week of our taking Maca. Un-believable!

Normally, I'd get kind of burned out and just too tired to.. ahem.. be so busy, but it looks like I've been struck with the Maca-induced libido! 

Strength:  This is another thing I'd read about, but never thought I myself would experience -- increase in strength. I began to notice this only just the past week, most especially when I finally had the "get-up and go" to get back to poling (on my fitness pole). 

It's been a very long time since I've felt like even getting back on the pole because I just got so fatigued and it requires such an intense workout that after feeling blue and fatigued for so many months, I didn't have what it took to bother with it anymore. It had been almost a year since I'd even spun on the darn thing!

And three days ago, I had the urge to go back to it. It was unexpected as I'd begun to think I'd never feel motivated to get back to using it again, but I did and boy did I go at it! Even in the days when I was an avid pole-user, I was never able to work out at such a hefty length of time and with so much gusto (for lack of other word.) I really couldn't believe I had all that in me. I basically attacked that pole, and let me tell you, the next two days -- I'd never been so sore in my life! Even my arm-pits were sore!

And besides feeling a little more energy and motivation from the Maca to get back to poling, I actually was able to climb, spin like mad and do almost every move I was able to a year ago. Like I'd never stopped, only I did experience some dizzyness from spinning. But after almost a year, it's a miracle I was able to even spin and climb without being beat. That very night is when I decided that Maca was no doubt nothing short of incredible.

Yes, I do realize that I am now doing what other people did, and what I didn't believe could happen for me -- raving like a mad woman about Maca's benefits! I just didn't think it'd do these great things to me like other people claimed. 

Bottom Line: Maca absolutely increases strength and endurance for me.

Okay, I'm trying to not be long winded...

Agressive. I think it's possible that when you reach the super noticeable dose of Maca powder, you can feel slightly agressive, but not in an angered, violent manner. I've experienced nothing like that, but I noticed I was doing strange things like rough housing! It's been years since I've really did that, and I found myself tackling Bronson and thought 'what in the world is wrong with me.' And it hit me -- must be the Maca! 

And this new "agression" ... Perhaps agression is not the word I'm trying to use. It's like a very playful, energetic mood where I'll have some urge to say, do a cartwheel, or jump on Bronson's back unexpected when I haven't done these things in years. Except when I had to teach my neice to cartwheel...

I hope that makes sense. I'm not sure if I'm the only person who experiences that particulary "extra" or if people just haven't been able to describe what this feeling is.

 

 Pain (Most speficially Migraine):   As I stated earlier, I was even more surprised to find that I'd been having less headaches and migraines, even during times of the month when I always experience them. I've not had the first actual migraine since a few days after beginning Maca powder. I've experienced occasional headaches, some pretty bad, but never one that lingers for hours and hours. 

It's possible that it's helped with healing, too as I noticed that my muscles were so sore I could hardly move the day after I got back to using my fitness pole, but the soreness was almost gone by day two. Day3 and I feel no soreness. Besides that, my partner fell and was badly injured and in intense pain yesterday, swearing that the pain would be way worse by today because it usually is. I didn't hear him complain but two times of pain today! I can't say 100%, but I think Maca is really benefitting in these areas.

Stress:  As of tonight, I am absolutely sure that Maca has benefitted my stress levels. I'll give you the story:

A family member has given me one of the hardest times of my life this week -- I won't go airing the dirty laundry, but I will say, it's bad. The situation is tragic and I honestly don't know how I've made it through without breaking down yet, but I've not. I haven't even came close! I've complained and griped and spent time thinking through the situation, but I've not one time felt my usually freak-out, panic, anxiety crap. 

Not only that, but the situation escalated to truly horrific today, and then on the interstate (this type of situation usually ends with me having a panic attack) tonight, we're in the far side lane stuck in traffic when this crazed woman rides up beside us (not even in a lane!) and is pushing us over! We spent about 10 minutes riding like this and barely avioding a wreck. She was psycho and literally did not care if she plumb ran us into the cars beside us. It was a crazy situation.

Guess who didn't scream or have a panic attack? This girl! I did feel a pounding headache shortly after because it was scary and stressful, but within a short while, I didn't even have the headache! Never happened before in my life. Normally, I'd have had a full-blown migraine by the time the night ended.

So, if that's not stress reduction, I don't know what is!

About The Root Of The Matter, and Ken, The Owner

If ya'll have ever visited The Root of The Matter, you may have noticed how unique the site is set up. Instead of never knowing who is behind the products you buy and use, The Root of The Matter creator, Ken Johnson, M.D., is always right there on the site giving his advice, loads of awesome suggestions and information about the products there as well as his own experience with the products!  You can even click here to meet Ken!

This is one of my favorite things about The Root of The Matter because I can click on a product and read more than just some made up random "testimonials," but exactly what the openly honest owner has to say, too. And the generally uplifting, fun air of The Root of The Matter is enough to keep me cravin' more of it... And the Maca!

Ken is an impressive guy, I must say. He's interactive and communicates himself with the customers, which is one way to have my respect. It just makes things so much easier on the customer, and it feels so different, and way better knowing you can speak directly to the owner and know a little about what he recommends, his own experiences and other ways of just making life more fun, in general. This is my experience with The Root of The Matter and while I realize all this extra info makes my review post so much longer, I feel like it's important considering this is a review! The more info, the better.

P.S. I highly recommend perusing the "Maca Powder Thoughts" page to learn loads more about Maca Powder experiences. This is one thing that I found very useful.

Maadisha Natural Bar Soaps

I've shown you guys this photo before. Do you remember? I introduced you to the Maadisha Shampoo9 and promised to tell you about the gorgeous Ayurganic soaps from Maadisha. Well, here we are! I'm going to share with you every detail I can about Maadisha's lovely natural soap bars. This is exciting because out of every single natural soap I have ever used, my favorite has been Maadisha! Let me share a photo of the soaps...

Above you see 5 different natural soaps from Maadisha. Each have different ingredients for different people. I'll discuss each soap below.

And in this last photo, you see a close-up of the bar of soap. It's whit-ish in color and just by the view you can see how incredibly creamy and rich it is! 

Maadisha has this entire line of soaps I've showed you. You may remember my post on their Shampoo9? Well, the soap is called Soap5. 

One of my favorite things about Soap5 is that it's organic and all, but also that it's enriched with different "Ayurganic" ingredients, which mean you can get some mind-blowing benefits from using the soaps. 

Maadisha never uses harsh ingredients in their soaps. Using natural soaps, especially those with ingredients like Maadisha's means no more UTI's caused by the soap products you use, no more yeast infections from your soap, irritation, eczema and other skin irritations! I even put my neice a bar of this in her back-pack because the poor thing has been suffering from UTI's since the summer and the doctor keeps giving her products that only make it worse! I know this because I read the ingredients on her "meds." 

Moving on...

Soap5 does not leave a film on your skin, but instead conditions and leaves it feeling silky. This is not a feeling I have experienced before, either. 

Let's talk about some of those ingredients in Soap5

1. Sunflower Oil – helps treat skin infections and inflammations
2. Safflower Oil – offers powerful dirt and oil-removing abilities
3. Coconut Oil – prevents dryness and flaking of skin
4. Palm Oil – contains natural antibacterials that help protect skin cells
5. Aloe – shields your skin from dangerous toxins

Y'all guys know how crazy I am about aloe! I eat it straight from my plant, I use it on absolutely every part of my body. So I'm of course impressed that Maadisha put it in their Soap5! I could go on talking about ingredients and what each are good for for literally hours, but I'll just keep it short this time... Aloe is not only amazing for healing and for your skin, it's also a natural anti-fungal & anti-bacterial agent! This means those of you who suffer from recurring UTI's or yeast infections will find much relief in Soap5, and possibly prevent them from keeping on happening.

Also, while we're on ingredients, I want to go ahead and share something else really exciting about Soap5. Ya'll may have kept up with my journey with my teeth. I hope so. If not, you will not have a clue what I'm talking about. I also done a video showing you all the different soaps I've used to brush with and why, which were the worst and which were best. Now, I've used Soap5 for brushing and have been for 2 weeks now! Let me stop to do my disclaimer thingy: I'm not a doctor. I'm not recommending that any of you brush your teeth with soaps. I'm simply telling you what I have done and how it has helped me, so if you try it and it makes you gag don't go blaming me. 

Now, when I seen the outstanding ingredients in Soap5, I knew I'd be using it on my body and in my mouth. Here's why:

1. Safflower oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil and aloe are all top 'ingredients' for the healthiest teeth when brushing and going natural. I've been studying on this for ages, and I was so stunned when I read the ingredients in one soap that had everything Dr. Judd had recommended! See, before I would find soaps with one or two of the recommended ingredients, but Soap5 had it all, so I immediately decided to brush with it.

Also, it's neem enriched and I've been needing to incorporate neem into my brushing because it's said to be one thing that provides the most healing for someone who wants to remineralize and restore their dental health. By the time I read "neem" on the soap label, I was headed to the bathroom to brush!

Now, I want to stop rambling about my teeth-brushing and talk about Soap5, so I'll end this briefly by saying that I'm totally satisfied with the way Soap5 works for my mouth! Also know that Maadisha is not encouraging people to brush with their soaps. This is simply something I decided to do on my own. In fact, on their website they say "This product is for EXTERNAL USE ONLY. Avoid contact with eyes. is not known to have any side effects, but should you develop any reaction please stop using it and consult your physician immediately." So whatever you do, do so as I did -- at my very own risk.

I like that Soap5 has the least taste of every soap I've used. 

Now, more about ingredients:

 sunflower oil, safflower oil, palm oil, coconut oils, aloe, lime essential oils, turmeric. Additional ingredients based on Soap5 scent selection. 

It'd be helpful to include the short detail Maadisha has added on each of their soaps, so I'll do that now:

The unscented bar (for sensitive skin):

"A treat for our friends with allergies we have a fragrance free, all organic, sensitive skin soap. This soap creates a creamy lather and contains moisturizing properties to help maintain healthy, beautiful skin."

The  Patchouli Enriched bar:

"Earthy Patchouli soap contains many essential oils blended with organic orange peel for a refreshingly soothing experience."

Lavender Enriched Bar:

  

"Using our Lavender soap will create for an overwhelmingly calming experience . Strongly scented Lavender combined with organic comfrey root are soothing and relaxing with built-in hydrating qualities."

The Neem Enriched Bar:

"Our traditional Ayurvedic, organic Neem and Holy Basil antibacterial soap helps maintain healthy skin. A touch of wild ginger prevents any infections, and the addition of Olive Oil serves as the perfect complement."

The Orange Enriched Bar:

"Our Orange enriched soap forms a creamy smooth lather enriched with Ayurvedic blends of timeless organic extracts. Spicy orange peel for exfoliation and refreshingly cool lime as an astringent. Antiseptic turmeric brings in the radiance and forever aloe serves as a moisturizer and repairs skin. Therapeutic rosemary makes for a soothing experience. A marginal touch of fragrance is added to make a perfect soap."

 

 The “Ayurganic” ingredients in Soap5 are a rich source of Vitamins A, C, D, and E, all of which play an essential part in the holistic method of rejuvenating and revitalizing your skin. Soap5 is chemical-free and gives your hands natural moisture, leaving them feeling like satin.

Each of the Maadisha Soap5 bars have their own scent, unless you get the unscented version. The scent I am currently using (Neem Enriched Soap5 bar) has a light fragrance that is hard to describe. It smells soapy, but I have no words or anything to give you a better idea. It doesn't smell like flowers or grass or fruits. It's just a barely there scent. This is good for those of us who are sensitive to fragrance. I can use this and smell it lightly, but it doesn't linger on my skin for long. It just leaves it with a clean scent. This is good because it doesn't end up giving me a headache.

As for the satin and silk claim, it's true. The first thing I told my lovie after using the Soap5 was that it was so creamy and left my skin feeling silky smooth. I've never had any soap do this for my skin. Also, for those of us who tend to get dried out skin after showering, this is the best soap to prevent that! It leaves my skin soft, smooth and moisturized. I can even use it on my face, and since the ingredients are actually good for all skin types (no breakouts, no ingredients that'll cause acne, but many of the ingredients will actually help heal acne and scars and prevent breakouts!) it works wonders on my face as well. 

Note: Maadisha recommends letting the soap dry between uses (don't let it set in a puddle of water) and it'll last longer.

I wish you guys could just touch my skin and the bar of Soap5. Seriously, it feels so different than other soaps! It's a soap I look forward to using, and it cleans me better than anything. I love that I don't have residue left behind like I do with Dove bar soaps, Dial orange bar and Olay Ribbons. Also, using it to shave could even help prolong your razor's life! This is because you aren't dulling it with the ingredients in most other soaps, but are helping the blade with ingredients like olive oil and coconut oil, which are actually used to keep a razor blade sharp over time!

MiPole review

 

  

Two things were always being told to do; laugh and dance. Well, here's to dancing... and my partner laughing!

I'm sure curiousity is aroused so I'll get to the point. The above picture is of the MiPole! MiPole is a professional dance pole. 

This easy to install and easy to take down pole is the perfect first pole--not that you'd ever need a second pole, but it's great for beginners or the most advanced dancer. 

The best thing about MiPole--besides the fact that it's an amazing pole--is that you don't need to have extensive knowledge to put it up. Common sense will do. 

Let's talk about how you install MiPole, now that I'm on the subject. 

The day MiPole arrived, we had it installed in less than 20 minutes. It would have taken less time, but we were fascinated and taking our time admiring it. MiPole weighs 18lbs.

MiPole comes in a long box, discreetly shipped by TabuToys. Inside the package though, the MiPole box has quite the dirty photos. You won't need to keep the cardboard box it comes in so it's no biggie. 

Inside is your MiPole, a wonderful, sturdy carrying bag, the pole, screw driver and a set of pasties! You'll also recieve the pole extensions incase your ceiling is tall. It will fit about anywhere ( pole is 7' 6" to 9' tall). We did have to use the extensions. Everything you need is included. Of course instructions are included.

To begin, you simply need to put the two pole pieces together. Make sure the ceiling is level! The pole pieces slip inside one another and you can tighten them securely by twisting.

  

  

In the photo above, you can see the bottom round, plate piece on the floor. Narrow piece of pole at the very bottom is where the pole is adjusted to fit from floor to ceiling. The black thicker piece that I'm holding up in the photo slides right down over the narrow bottom piece. It's really just a cover, but it doesn't hold down. It slides up and down, sometimes accidentally slides up while I'm spinning and my feet kick it.

You can see that the underside of the round bottom piece is pink. The ceiling piece is like this as well. It's  somewhat of a rubbery feel for extra security. 

Ceiling plate

Once all the pieces are put together and you're pole is upright and fixed to the correct height to fit your ceiling, tighten with the screwdriver it comes with and check to be sure it's sturdy. If it wiggles, tighten things up. 

There's a crease where the two pole pieces fit together. This "crease" reaches about half way up the pole's length in my home. It's just where the other piece of the pole is inside the bottom one. Still, with lots of use it can loosen. It's important to wiggle and test with your hands before getting on the pole. I always push the pole, right in that center before using. If it's bendy, I use my hand and tighten the upper portion. Note: I've only had it loosen like that one time. It's not a common occurance.

MiPole is a professional pole and will hold up to 250 pounds. I don't recommend this, but I have had a person around 10 pounds over that limit spin on my MiPole. I would not attempt to climb or jump the pole if you're over the limit. 

And if you thought MiPole couldn't get any more fabulous... it does! MiPole is totally portable. Like I said, easy to take down. Hence why it comes with a nice, sturdy carrying bag. Anytime you want to move MiPole or take it down--say grandma is visiting, simply remove it, place in the bag and stash away! You can move MiPole to other rooms or take it to a friend's house. I love that! I haven't actually taken mine down, but it's nice to know that I can carry it in another room or to my parents house. 

Made of " high quality steel, precision machined metal, and a couple of small high strength precision molded plastic parts," MiPole will handle even the most professional "moves." However, it does seem that there's some sort of metallic finish because one day I placed my hand about halfway up the pole's length, right where that crease is and did a nice spin. It felt like I had cut the palm of my hand so I let go and noticed blood on me, my hands and the pole. Apparently some pieces of the finish there was a bit flaky and managed to wedge into my palm while I was spinning. I was able to remove the metal or finish with a needle, but I had a little bit stay stuck for three days! Once the inflammation went down, I was able to reach the metal/finish with a needle. I went back and checked that area and saw where there were pieces of silver flaking away. Now I occasionally see flecks of silver on my hands. I'm not sure if there's a finish that comes off or what. You should check of any flecking pieces before going crazy though.

 MiPole, as you can see in my photos, will work on carpet, wood and tile. Yessir, this is a very versatile pole! 

My Experience:

I have wanted a pole for years! When my Lovie and I would talk about our dream home, I'd always said "I'll have a pole." So to actually finally have the MiPole is like a dream for me! I have looked into many of the available pole options and I liked the MiPole for many reasons; portability, ease of installation, professional, long-term pole and the fact that it's not a spin pole! You are free to do any moves on MiPole and you can certainly spin your little heart out, but it's not a pole that spins on it's own. I liked that because the non-spin poles are said to be the hardest to learn on. I wanted to really be able to go crazy on my pole and do anything my heart desired, but more importantly, I wanted to be able to do these things on my own, not with the help of a spin pole. It is harder to learn on, but I think you get a much better work out on a non-spin pole. Plus, if you learn on a spin pole, you won't be able to do every move you've learned on a non-spin pole. 

I also wanted the pole for fitness reasons. Anybody can dance around a metal pole, but it takes dedication and practice to really do certain things. 

I do recommend getting some kind of instructions or lessons, even if it's from a friend novice friend. If not, you may end up attacking the pole like I did on my first try! It's not the smartest thing to do and I regretted it after having some minor injuries! I waited and took some advice from a fellow poler, and then went back and gracefully played around until I built some strength.

I must say, when Chuck Norris says that total fitness is the best workout you can ever get, I beg to differ! Two sessions with my pole and I learned about muscles I didn't even know existed! In this short month I've been practicing, I've built quite some strength! It didn't take long and every day I see a bit of an improvement.  

To spice things up, be prepared to wear something comfortable and of course, it doesn't hurt to up your confidence with some sexy wear!  

As I advance with my pole, I'll be updating here! My arms may be like noodles right now, but I can always type! I only spent 20 minutes with the pole today and had a crazy workout. It's really amazing what it does for my tee-tiny muscles. I'm getting stronger and stronger each time I use it. I'm not sure I'm brave enough just yet to film my poling like some of the ladies do, but I will be glad to continue updating as I get better. As of now I have a ways to go, but am loving it!

The wonderful folks at TabuToys.com sent me the MiPole free of charge, in exchange for an honest review.  TabuToys.com offers discreet, private shopping to men and women of all sexual orientations. And to help you pick out just the sex toy, dildo or vibrator you’ve been looking for, they offer an excellent Sex Toy Quiz.