I love sharing featured products with my Instagram viewers. Sometimes it’s a sterling review, sometimes a pass. But either way, it’s valuable information – honest reviews on products that may or may not make your life a little easier.
Below, you’ll find links to the products I’ve loved or hated. The products are listed in chronological order, so if you saw it on Insta today, it should be right at the top.
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$1,000 100 Ways by Nick Loper
Anatomy of Adventure founder Cara Siera was featured in $1,000 100 Ways in 2021. This book is great for brainstorming freelance work options. We were also featured on the Side Hustle Nation blog in 2023!
Dream Well
Have you ever had a great vacation that was marred by jetlag? Changing time zones can interrupt your sleep cycle and leave you feeling excessively tired.
When I flew from the U.S. to Australia, I had a plan. I [mostly] stayed awake during the 13-hour flight, napping between meals and movies. I arrived in the evening and stayed awake until 9 pm local time, took a sleep aid, and, well, went to sleep.
Did it work? Yes, it did! I didn’t experience any major jet lag (though I did find myself waking very early each morning).
Since then, timing and non-habit-forming sleep aids have become a part of my travel toolkit.
That’s why I was excited to try dream well, a plant-based sleep supplement in liquid form.
As advertised, I found myself feeling very relaxed and sleepy within 20-30 minutes of consuming the drink. I slept soundly all night. The only drawback was that I did feel groggy when my alarm went off the next morning, much the same feeling as when taking a cold medication that has “drowsiness” as a side effect. A few minutes of walking around and a cup of coffee alleviated the grogginess.
I wasn’t sure that I would enjoy the flavor (I’m not guava’s biggest fan), but it was mild, pleasant, and tropical.
The best part is, each dream well dose is one 3.4-ounce bottle – just the right size for liquids in my carry-on.
Urban Calm
Urban Calm by Facetory offers a line of fermented beauty products. They focus on natural ingredients, and what is more – they smell nice and make a luxurious addition to your daily routine.
Collagen Powder
I love my daily runs. But two years ago, I injured my knee and I thought my running days were over.
But wait, why are we talking about running and injuries alongside a video about coffee?
I couldn’t resign myself to walk and never run again, so I did a little research and found out that as we get older, our bodies make less collagen, which is an essential part of the connective tissue in our knees and other joints. That’s one reason why we don’t bounce back from injuries as fast as when we were kids.
But we can give our bodies more collagen to work with by including it in our diet. I’ve been including collagen powder in my morning coffee for nearly a year now, and I’m finally able to run without feeling like my knee could give way at any moment.
Many products advertise results within three months, but I could tell a difference in my knee after just a few weeks.
Just an FYI, these collagen powders are beef-derived, so they are not vegan. They are, however, dairy-free.
Interestingly, I discovered that I wasn’t the only runner with these issues. That’s how one collagen company, Vital Proteins, came to be. The founder began having knee trouble while running and couldn’t find the right supplement to get the job done. So he decided to start a company to make his own.
Since then, I’ve tried other brands, including Dose & Co. and Sandhus Nutrition. I haven’t noticed any huge differences between the brands and would recommend each of them.
I prefer the unflavored, unsweetened versions, but these brands also make dairy-free “coffee creamer” versions of their products in flavors such as vanilla or peppermint mocha.
Seed Starting Heating Mat
I had no idea how well this simple invention would work until I tried it for myself. I previously thought, “My house is pretty warm, and the seeds come up eventually. I don’t need that.”
But this year, I was LATE getting my seeds started. It was already April and warm outside, and I had not a seed planted. So, I used a heating mat in hopes of speeding the process just a little.
Interestingly, the mat doesn’t feel that hot to the touch. It’s not like a heating pad for aches and pains. It increases the temperature to 70 to 85 degrees F, which is just enough to encourage growth without burning the tender, young roots.
How well did it work? Three days after planting, marigolds, melons, cucumbers, herbs, and beans had all sprouted. For comparison, the information on the marigolds’ seed packet estimated 5 to 8 days until germination, and the lemongrass estimated five to 21 days.
One part Lois Lane, one part Jimmy Olsen, one part Johnboy Walton, and a bit of that Clark Kent secret identity thing thrown in for good measure.
Cara Siera is a freelance writer and photographer with a passion for travel and exotic cuisine. Join Cara, her husband Marc, and one very spoiled German Shepherd on their next great adventure.