Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Fiber One Protein Cereal Review

Okay, I have a review for you all today. I recently was invited to a campaign from Bzzagent to try and write about Fiber One's new cereal with protein.



I received two varieties, maple and brown sugar and cranberries and almonds. I was really excited to try this cereal because I am currently pregnant, and you can never have too much fiber. Then the added protein is a great addition.

This cereal is very fresh tasting and has a great crunch, but not so much that you feel like you're going to break a tooth. It is a very dense cereal, so a little goes a long way. I made the mistake of pouring too much and could not finish it. Very, very filling in my opinion. This cereal also held me over until lunch. I didn't even need a mid morning snack. That is pretty good, considering that I want to eat everything under the sun right now.

The maple and brown sugar is my favorite. The cranberries kept getting stuck in my teeth. The maple variety tasted like I mixed oatmeal and cereal together. It was very good. I am even eating small handfuls for a snack because I like it so much. I will definitely be purchasing this cereal in the future and hope that it remains part of my daily fiber regimen.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Dearest Diapers Review

Okay, so sorry my posts have been sparse. I have been extremely busy getting ready to move and to get ready for baby number 2.

This post is going to be something completely different from what I'm used to writing. I am going from makeup to diapers. Yes, the two couldn't be farther apart. However, I had such a good experience with this company that I had to write about it.

I am expecting a little girl in June and have decided to try out cloth diapers. I know how much trouble and money we have invested in disposables with my son and I do not want to go through it again. I wish I had thought about cloth with him, but we live and learn I suppose. So I entered a few giveaways for cloth diapers and ended up winning a $25 gift card to Dearest Diapers. I was so excited. This was the perfect way to see what they look like and feel like and get an idea about them. I have never used, nor seen cloth diapers, so I am a complete newbie.

 I went to the site and it was very easy to navigate (besides the fact that I had no idea what I was looking for). There are a lot of different types of cloth diapering systems. So since this is my first purchase, I decided to look at the All-In-Ones. I figured, just get everything together, and then maybe venture to the more difficult categories and a later time.

Okay, back to the company. I noticed that they do not charge shipping if you purchase any type of cloth diaper. I really like that. No one likes shipping charges. They also take donations so that they can keep offering free shipping. The best thing about this site is that they sell used and new. I purchased two used all in ones because they were cheaper, and apparently when you purchase a new cloth diaper, you have to wash and dry them 5 or more times to help with the absorbancy of the material. So I figured, hey, if I buy used, then I'm sure they have been washed and dried so much and they must be at their peak absorbancy.
They even threw in a sample of Bee Green Naturals Wipe Solution Cubes. I was pleasantly surprised by the smell of baby when I opened the bag.


I ended up at the end with a GroVia used All-In-One Newborn Diaper in the color Peacock, which is this really nice rasberry color with these really cute peacock graphics. The color and pattern are adorable and very modern looking. The diaper is in really good shape and their are no tears or rips. I was stated that there is some staining, but I cannot see anything.


Inside of the GroVia. No staining.

The second is a used Blueberry Basix Newborn in the color butterflies. It has a nice white background with pink and orange butterflies with flowers and a nice green vine design. It was also in excellent shape and I could not find any staining.
Inside of the Blueberry Basix. Could find no stains and looks great!

These two products together were $20.95, which is an excellent price considering that some All-In-One diapers are that or higher for one. I still had a balance, so I threw in a OsoCozy Diaper Insert for the Blueberry Basix diaper which was $1.35 and then they have a handling fee on orders under $34.95 of $2.00. The higher your price, the lower the fee gets.

I received the package in a very timely manner. I placed the order on the 16th and received it on the 20th. It shipped out the next day. I am very impressed. There was also a hand written note on the order form that thanked me for my order. That just made my day and I love that someone took the time to write something. It makes it very personal and I don't feel like I'm just another order number.

I am very excited about my order, and I will definitely be returning to Dearest Diapers for my future purchases and to complete my cloth diaper collection for my little one.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Rimmel retro glam scandal eyes mascara

I'm coming back with another review on a product that I received from influenster to try and give my two cents on. I previously wrote a review on Rimmel's stay matte mousse foundation, and now I am going to be writing about another product of theirs...the retro glam scandal eyes mascara. 



I was very interested to try this out. I am always on the lookout for a mascara that doesn't clump or gunk up while applying. I keep trying new products and brands when I get done with my mascara. I have yet to repurchase the same brand.

My first thoughts were that the applicator brush was a little weird. It's in the shape of an hourglass, and made me wonder where most of the product was going to go. I like the outside of my lashes to be more dramatic than everywhere else.

I received the color black. I personally like black mascara, but if you do not, then this isn't the product for you. It comes in only two shades, black and extreme black. However, those shades really work with the name of this mascara. When I think of retro, I see very dramatic black lashes. 

This product did not disappoint. It went on smooth, did not clump, and I didn't end up with the four lashes. You know where it looks like you only have 4 or 5 lashes after you've applied because your lashes are caked together. It isn't waterproof, but I'm not a fan anyways. So again, just little things that have to do with personal preference.


Here is a picture with just the mascara on. This is one coat. I don't put mascara on my bottom lashes because they are very long and kinda make me look like a doll. It's not my kind of thing. This gave my lashes the dramatic look that I've been looking for and I'm very pleased.

While wearin this mascara for an entire day, I had no fallout, melting, or change in the shape of my lashes. I have found my new mascara and I will definitely be sticking with this. 

If I left anything out, please let me know. This pregnancy has given me the worst brain fog and I feel as if I was everywhere with this review, so I apologize. 

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Rimmel Stay Matte liquid mousse foundation


I have another review from Influenster, who teamed up with Rimmel London, to try and review their new stay matte liquid mouse foundation. I was really looking forward to trying this product out. I have extremely oily skin and foundations usually melt off my face, or end up giving me a much too "dewey" shall we say finish. Because of this problem, I mostly skip the foundation when I apply my makeup.



I skipped the primer while applying this because I wanted to see how it would do without it and because it is advertised to be feather light, I thought the primer would make this feel too heavy and may have swayed my opinion.



My first reaction to this when I first saw the product was that this could not be feather light. It has a very thick clay like texture and doesn't feel like mousse nor liquid. However, when I first applied it, it went on smooth and it was incredibly light. I was very surprised that it did not feel heavy on my face, and it did not cake at all. I forgot that I even had this on by the end of the day, and almost forgot to wash my face (not sure if that's a pro or a con). 



Now for the downside. I don't know if I did not prep my face correctly, or if it is the product itself, but it actually made my face too dry. My nose, forehead, and cheeks looked like I was exfoliating with the foundation. I wash my face with an exfoiliator, then apply my moisturizer. I wait until the moisturizer to dry completely before I apply my makeup. So I am a little stumped as to how the foundation dried out an extremely oily completion with moisturizer on at that. If someone's knows how to fix this, please comment and let me know. I am disappointed that this foundation does this to me, because it really stays matte and I had absolutely no shininess throughout the day. The foundation lasts for the average amount of time. It doesn't last as long as Revlon's Colorstay, but not so fast that you wished you hadn't wasted the money.



So my final verdict is this product is not for you if you're skin is already dry. If dryness is not a concern of yours, then purchase at your own risk. I am pregnant, so maybe my hormones have made my skin drier. Other than that one problem, this product is great in all other aspects. I am not going to recommend nor not recommend this product, because of my experience with it.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Arm & Hammer Sensitive Toothpaste

First off, I apologize for my absence. Things have been a little crazy the past so many months, but I'm back and will be doing some reviews and things here and there again. Today I am writing about a product that I received from Smiley360 to try and share. If any of you have kept up with my blog, then you know that I have done a couple of these in the past. It's the Arm & Hammer Sensitive Toothpaste.



When I saw this opportunity on their site, I knew I had to take advantage of it. I have extremely sensitive teeth. They have been this way since I can remember. It's so bad that I cannot drink anything with ice in it, or even a chilled drink from the coolers at the store. It has to be room temperature. My husband thinks I'm weird, and has no idea how I can stand a soda at room temp. I guess it is a little weird, but it keeps me from having to experience the pain I do.

They sent me 3 travel size tubes (about 1 oz each) and I started using it right away. Firstly, I love the mild taste it has. Some toothpastes will set my mouth on fire, and I brush once to twice daily. It's worse when I am brushing my tongue. This does not cause that sensation, but still leaves my mouth fresh and clean.

Another aspect that I liked is that it is by arm & hammer, so it also is a whitening toothpaste. I couldn't believe that a whitening toothpaste would also fight sensitivity. It's an oxymoron for me. Whitening strips, toothpaste, gels, you name it usually causes sensitivity. I was a little skeptical to be honest.

Of course the main reason to love this toothpaste is that it decreases sensitivity...yay!  I mean, that's the whole point right? Well for me it is. It is from the makers from Orajel, so if anyone knows about oral pain it's them.  I have been using this toothpaste for about 3 weeks and I really have noticed a difference. Don't get me wrong, it's not a huge difference, but a little. I am able to drink a soda from a cooler with no problems, though I still can't tolerate ice in them. Plus, my teeth are a nicer shade of white. So really, it's a win, win.

Now, this probably won't do miracles like prescription strength, or Sensodyne, but it is a cheaper alternative, and people with minor teeth sensitivity would probably see much more positive results, but I think it would be worth a try for anyone who is looking for some relief.  I would recommend that if anyone is interested, that you consult with a dentist first. I did not, but that is just my personal choice.

Monday, January 7, 2013

Things going on and preview to future reviews

Been a little hectic around here lately. My husband, son and I are getting read to head back to Kentucky. We originally moved here to Washington to take care of his grandmother who was in bad health, and unfortunately she did not make it. She was a great woman and was so loved by her huge family and friends. Lately, Washington has become a different place and it just doesn't sparkle as much as it used to.

We were taking care of my grandfather who need some assistance with his daily activities, and giving my grandmother a break. He is an around the clock job of his own and I can tell that it is wearing her out. She is always tired and I can hear it when I talk to her on the phone. So we have decided to travel back and help my grandparents out.

So I have been packing and preparing a 4 day trip on the road with a 2 year old. Yea, its definitely going to be eventful. Maybe we will still have our sanity when we arrive, or we may be bald from pulling our hair out. It will be a surprise for us all to see the outcome. I have a few ideas about how to keep him calm and serene and I will try and update the nights we settle into the hotel. However, my husband is a truck driver and he plans exactly how far we will go and where and when we will stop for the night. So there are times that we won't stop until 10 or 11 at night. I will do my best to provide tips and what worked for my son and what didn't.

Things are definitely different now, last time we drove this trip, he was not walking, and was sleeping most of the time. Now he is a very adventurous, full of energy person. So I am thinking every time we fill up or stop for a bathroom break, I can take him out and walk him around for a bit. That way he can stretch his legs, get some fresh air, and not feel so constricted. I have also made a point of making sure our computer is charged up every morning and bring some of his favorite movies to keep his mind occupied. I do have to say that he is amazed with the outdoors and even driving to town makes his day. He loves to look out the window and look at the beauty of this world around him.

I have also thought about doing some tips on what to wear when you are driving a cross country trip and packing tips. I am very excited about going home to see my grandparents. They have done so much for me and my family and have always been there for me no matter what. I spent my summers in school at their house instead of how most teenagers would want to spend it. I am very excited to go back and see them, and after seeing my husband's grandmother pass, it has made me realize that time is precious and it shouldn't be wasted. I was close to his grandmother and it was hard to see such a strong, independent woman become so feeble. She was a great woman and made an impact on so many lives.

On a different note, some upcoming topics. I will be doing a review on Elevate Styles. I recently have started wearing wigs. I don't have a problem with my own hair, but I see them as a fashion accessory just like anything else. Plus, I don't have to worry about fixing my hair and I can just throw one on when I am in a hurry. I am the mother of a toddler, and primping sometimes just isn't in the picture. So I am going to review the wigs I bought and a new brand of nail polish I have purchased (which will be a different review). If you want to see a preview of one of the wigs, just look at my profile picture to the right. That is Freetress Equal's wig called Milly. I won't say anything else, even though I'm dying to. I want to explain everything in my next review.

If you would like any other traveling tips that I did not list in this, or when the trip is over there was anything I left out and I will be happy to do an updated post with everything I had left out. Wish me luck and I will chat with you later :)

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Getting to know me

I figured since its the beginning of a new year I should start out like this.

I've noticed that I do a lot of reviews but if any of you keep up with my blog, you've noticed that I really haven't gotten a chance for you all to get to know me. So lets get started. I thought it would be fun to list some questions and ill answer them, then if there's anything you'd like to know that I haven't mentioned, just comment below and I'll be happy to answer.