As a consumer, please be aware that not all things with the pink ribbon are actually donating money to the breast cancer foundation. It’s sad and disgusting for some companies to be taking advantage of consumers like this, but I’m sure they don’t care.

Legitimate products will have the exact amount they will donate to Susan G. Komen listed on the packaging from your purchase and the maximum (if any) they will donate from total sales. Some of the non-donating brands even have little phrases like ‘early detection saves’ along with a pink ribbon to trick you (shame on you, Swiffer). When in doubt, you can always donate directly to the foundation yourself instead of relying on a company to do it for you.

All women need to do their monthly home exams and a get yearly exam by a physician. Encourage all the women you know to do their exams as well. Early detection does save lives. As a Relay For Life  3-year participant, I strongly encourage you all to get involved next year in your local event. It’s truly inspiring to see how many survivors show up. My company raises money and I always sign up to walk as well. No one in my family has cancer. You don’t have to know someone diagnosed to want to make a difference and together we can.

My immediate thought was that the website has improved substantially. Then I noticed that the paper finally had their blogs featured front and center. A good thing, indeed. That’s when I saw it: a breast cancer blog. “Who has breast cancer?” I thought. Not much has changed since I left the paper about three years ago, so I knew that chances were I would recognize the writing, the face, the name … and I did.

My heart goes out to Ann DeMatteo for what she’s going through. But if the strong willed woman I met years ago is the one fighting this battle, then she will surely win.

If you’ve ever wondered what it is like for a breast cancer patient, read Why Us? There are videos, blog posts and more that give you great insight into what it’s like to be a cancer patient. I highly recommend starting at the beginning.

I hemmed and hawed and tried to refuse, but she would have none of it. So, finally I gave in and mixed it with my water. The drink was Emergen-C. And guess what? I loved it.

To this day, I keep packets of Emergen-C in my cupboard and drink it whenever I start to feel under the weather. But Emergen-C is more than just a sick-time drink, it’s filled with vitamins and minerals. In fact, one packet of the Emergen-C Pink has just 25 calories and 1,000 mg of Vitamin C along with 10 mg of Vitamin B6 and 25 mg of Vitamin B12. So good for your body!

Emergen-C Pink is Pink Lemonade flavored. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this flavor go towards breast cancer research. This special Think Pink! item is a year-round supporter of  breast cancer awareness, with 50 percent proceeds donated to The Keep A Breast Foundation. In the 10 months since it was introduced, Emergen-C has donated more than $100,000.

Visit Emergen-C on the web at EmergenC.com.

In honor of breast cancer awareness, the company created a line of three shirts and a hoodie with phrases like “Just Be Pink,” and “Be a Survivor.” A portion of the proceeds from those is donated to organizations that support breast cancer research.

The GOOD: This 100 percent cotton tee shirt is a good fit for working out. It’s loose enough that you won’t worry about your curves and bulges while running on the treadmill, but just fitted enough that it’s not like wearing a sack. The fabric is very soft.

The BAD: I wish there was a shirt that spoke to the families of the women who’ve lost their lives to this disease. Also, I love the Survivor design more than the Just Be Pink design. If there was a shirt for kids, that would be great too.

MONEY MATTERS: The shirts start at $15 and can be purchased online at the Just Be shop.

THINK PINK:  A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these shirts is donated to breast cancer research.

The MOM VERDICT

Sarah says: I was happy to find a shirt for working out that doesn’t cling to me. And the fact that it is soft is a nice added bonus. If a fitted shirt is more your style, check out the ringer tee, which is super cute and really compliments this design. If you are looking for a fun gift that does good, these Just Be Pink shirts are a great place to start. And if you have a survivor on your list, the Be a Survivor shirt is a must.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has fond memories of Care Bears, but did you know they’re still around and going strong?  I love that, and the fact that generations later, kids are still discovering the lovable, huggable, colorful bears.

And this month, kids can discover a Pink Power Bear, the newest one, and a special limited edition, to hit the line.  Available at your local Target stores (I heart Target), $1.00 from each of the bears sold will go towards supporting breast cancer research.  And, seriously, who doesn’t need a pink stuffed animal for such a good cause?  And if not for you, what about your favorite niece for Christmas?  The babysitter (hey, you are never too old … I still have the stuffed animal I slept with as a kid!)?  Or the neighbor down the street?

The Pink Power Bear retails for $19.99 and even includes a Show You Care bracelet with it as well.  Grab it while it’s still available, ’cause before you know it, it will be gone like the Madonna’s rubber bangles.

Editor’s Note: The picture makes the bear’s color look a little like a dusty rose, but I promise you, it’s way prettier than that.

So, I saved the bottle and invited a friend over.

What is this Pink Merlot? It’s a rose with grapes from Northeastern Italy. And how did it hold up?

The GOOD: We had this wine with slightly spicy Salsa Chicken, and the flavors didn’t clash in the least. They didn’t even clash when we threw some cookies into the mix. So I would say this wine is pretty versatile.

The BAD: I was, and am, a little confused by this wine. Is it rose or merlot?  The color of the bottle was a little Pepto Bismol-like, which is not necessarily what you want to associate with a bottle of wine.  Just sayin’.

MONEY MATTERS: Available nationwide at your favorite wine retailer, this retails for $9.99 a bottle.

THINK PINK: Luna di Luna’s philosophy is “People & Causes,” which is something they think fits perfectly into the idea of enjoying a wine that benefits cancer research. A percentage of proceeds from each case of Luna di Luna Premium Pink Merlot is being donated to the Living Beyond Breast Cancer Foundation between now and December.

The MOM VERDICT

Sarah says: I am always a little weary of wine, since I have a very basic, undeveloped palate for it. However, this light, refreshing, slightly dry, but not too much so, citrus-y wine has quickly hit my have-again list. Love it. A must-have for girl’s night in!

Cate says: I have to say, when it comes to drinking wine, I usually only do it as I’m mixing it with something else to make a cocktail.  I just haven’t found one that I liked enough to drink on its own, I guess.  But this one?  Actually not bad.  It’s smooth and goes down nice and easy … which can be a very good thing, or a very bad thing.  And drinking wine to support such a good cause?  Who could find fault with that?

So, when the PedEgg arrived at my house, it had its work cut out. The PedEgg is an egg-shaped foot file for removing calloused skin from feet for at-home pedicure perfection.

The GOOD: The PedEgg’s 135 microfiles scrape away all the bad stuff, to reveal softer, smoother skin. The device fits nicely into the palm of your hand too. It’s easy to use and works really well.

The BAD: Be careful to keep the PedEgg right side up so that the callous filings don’t end up all over the floor like they did for me.  Using the PedEgg, the filings create a little dust, but clean-up is still a breeze.

MONEY MATTERS: One PedEgg is $10 and $6.99 for shipping and handling at www.pinkpedegg.com.  If you purchase online there only , you can receive a second PedEgg for just an additional shipping and handling fee of $6.99, and the order will also include a tube of Soft Silky Soles Foot Cream.  It is also available on Amazon for $9.99 + $3.98 shipping/handling, and they sell the replacement cartridges as well.

THINK PINK: Did you know that one in four cancers diagnosed in women is breast cancer? Pick up the new pink version of the PedEgg and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to help fight back. PedEgg has pledged to donate $50,000 from the proceeds.

The MOM VERDICT

Sarah Says: I was so excited to see this work that I was jumping up and down and forcing my husband to check out the thick, cracked callousing on one foot while the other was looking much smoother. I really, really do love it because it really, really, really did work. This is so being gifted to some whom I know has as much foot callousing as me.

Cate Says: Unlike Sarah, I don’t have callouses, but I do have very dry skin.  Like Sarah, I found the PedEgg definitely held up to its billing and then some, and will be using this for a long time to come.  The cute little size makes a perfect stocking stuffer.  The holidays aren’t quite as far away as you think.

*Photo from Amazon.

Hershey will donate $300,000 to the Young Survival Coalition (YSC) – the premier non-profit network of breast cancer survivors and supporters dedicated to the concerns and issues unique to young women and breast cancer. Additionally, Hershey is also hosting a four-day charity bike ride (and an online virtual one to boot!) to bring even more awareness to this very important cause. Did you know that over 182,000 women will be affected by this disease in 2008 alone? The numbers are staggering, and it is through generous support from companies like Hershey that we can put an end to this.

“The Hershey Company is committed to supporting breast cancer education and awareness. We want to offer real ways to get involved, so this year we added a virtual component to our annual four-day charity bike ride,” said Michele Buck, Senior Vice President, Global Chief Marketing Officer, The Hershey Company. “Breast cancer affects women of all ages, and we are dedicated to making a difference, contributing more than $1 million to the Young Survival Coalition in the past four years.”

How can you help?

• For more information on the bike ride, or to become a virtual rider and participate in your community, visit www.hersheyspledge.com.
• Purchase the limited edition pink products at your favorite retailers.  The insides of the York Peppermint Patties are even pink!
• Pick up a few bags of the pink Hershey’s candies to pass out to trick or treaters.

No matter, I still couldn’t wait to try the all-natural peppermint flavored Plush Puffs. These gourmet marshmallows are made by a small artisan company in California.

The GOOD: These marshmallows are light, fluffy, billowy puffs of sticky, gooey goodness. The ingredient list is pretty simple, and you can pronounce everything on it. Yay for ingredients that I’ve heard of! They also have a clear, discernible, intense peppermint flavor.  Like the picture at the left, the packaging is very well done and ripe for gift giving.

The BAD: Unfortunately, these aren’t vegetarian — a point I try not to think about, if you know what I mean. But that’s common among items that use gelatin.

MONEY MATTERS: Available through the Plush Puffs website, the Peppi-Mint marshmallows are $5.99 for a bag of approximately 16-18.

THINK PINK: For October, Plush Puffs is making their Pink Peppi-Mint marshmallows in honor of breast cancer awareness. The company will also be donating to breast cancer research with 10 percent of the proceeds from this marshmallow flavor.

The MOM VERDICT

Sarah says: Several years ago, I spent a holiday season working at Williams-Sonoma. Until then, the only marshmallows I’d known were round, mass produced and filled with more lab-created ingredients than Pam Anderson’s cleavage. So you’ll understand when I say that I just wasn’t that excited by marshmallows before then. Since then, I’ve thought that the Williams-Sonoma marshmallows were the cat’s meow. Well, move over boys, these Plush Puffs kick you out of the playyard. This mom? Well, let’s just say that I ate these babies au natural… and NO! I don’t know where the rest of them went. Buy them.

Cate says: Truth be told, I’m just not a big marshmallow fan.  While my six-year-old would happily eat them by the handful if I let him, I only keep them on hand for baking, or my favorite fruity salad.  So when these arrived, I was a little skeptical and it took me a few days to get to them.  My son on the other hand?  Urged me to open the package up as soon as he saw them, and stuck his hand out right away, begging for one.  And another.  And another… wait, what about me?  Like Sarah, I loved that they contain only a few ingredients and pronounceable ones at that.  They were light, airy little puffs with just the right amount of peppermint in each bite.  These would be perfect as a holiday gift alongside a big thick colorful mug and homemade cocoa.  Yum.

The GOOD: With Madeline, sometimes when she wears t-shirts (as opposed to the more frequent choice of onesies), they tend to ride up a bit and expose her belly a lot.  This is totally not cool now that the colder weather is here.  This one stayed down, and I loved it for that.  It fit her extremely well, was super soft and the ribbon was subtle but there.  The size was spot-on.  It fits her perfectly, with a little room to grow.

The BAD: Although available online, there are not many retailers where the Resa Design items can be purchased.  Of course, that also makes the items more special because it means that not every kid in your playgroup will have ‘em.

MONEY MATTERS: $16.00 for this particular t-shirt, and it can be purchased online here, or from this list of retailers.

IN THE PINK: A whopping 40% from the sale of this shirt goes to Be Bright Pink, which is phenomenally generous.  That’s a company I want to support.

The MOM VERDICT

Cate says: I’m glad I was given the opportunity to discover Resa Design, because I might not have found them otherwise.  I love their alphabet t’s and I think that will be a perfect Christmas gift for some of the babies in our lives.  Besides t-shirts, the company also has dresses, changing pads, burp cloths, blankets and more.  Better still, Resa Design is a company born out of necessity – the need for stylish clothing for our children – from a real mom of two young boys.  Just the kind of company and passion I want to get behind.