Friday, August 31, 2012
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Amora Coffee *FREEBIE* Review |
Amora seems very promising - you don't have to meet minimum monthly order requirements like a lot of home-ship coffee companies out there, and they have a relatively decent variety of roasts to choose from: Delicata, Elegante, Vigorosi, and Intenso. I chose to go with Elegante as, although I do like light roasts and occasional dark roasts, a medium roast is what really does it for me in the morning. Medium roasts are great with food and are great to sip on throughout the entire day. So here is what I got:
Canister and 2 bags of coffee
The scoop
I am absolutely in love with the canister and coffee scoop. The scoop is really heavy duty and great quality, and the canister is larger than I had expected it to be. The coffee, on the other hand, unfortunately wasn't so great. It just didn't do anything for me. Perhaps some of you out there are self proclaimed "coffee snobs" as I like to think of myself, and in saying that the coffee tasted like a notch down from Folgers, you can probably conclude that it really wasn't an enjoyable experience. The bags of grounds aren't your standard-sized coffee bags though, which I suppose could be good in that I went through an entire bag in less than a week. But from the perspective of a prospective "subscriber" to the Amora home-delivery service, that would definitely turn me away. I can go to the store and pay about the same amount as I did for this coffee for a full-sized bag of Seattle's Best coffee that will last me close to a month. I think a lot of what contributed to the Amora being used up so fast, as well as the not-so-yummy taste, is that it wasn't as finely ground as a lot of the other coffee grounds I have used. There were large chunks of (what looked like) twigs and wood chips...seemed rather questionable to me and sketchy at best!
So, if you are looking to get in on this deal, I'd say it's worth it but only for the canister and scoop. If you choose to opt in on this offer, be sure that you remember to unsubscribe from the service via phone as soon as you receive your shipment! Here is the link to the offer: Amora Freebie Coffee + Airtight Canister + Stainless Steel Scoop Offer. Be sure to let me know your verdict if you decide to give Amora a try!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
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Number One |
Having lived the majority of my life up to this point as a people pleaser, it's almost strange to me how my brain works. When placed in a situation in which I must make a decision that will affect both myself and someone else, my mind automatically gravitates towards which route would be most beneficial for the opposing person. My best interest never really crosses my mind. My feelings never really cross my mind. My desires never really cross my mind either. If I were to make a decision based upon what would benefit myself the most, wouldn't that make me selfish? It has only been a recent thing that I've realized that being selfless can actually turn into quite a downfall. When you have invested all of your time into making those around you happy, you forget how to make yourself happy. You lose sight of what even makes you happy. You tend to accept things as they come simply because you don't want to cause turmoil for the other party. Reading the words I'm typing almost makes me feel sick. I have spent the vast majority of my life living this way - morphing myself into the cookie cutter jigsaw piece that would perfectly fit into the empty space of someone's unhappiness, making them complete again. It didn't ever cross my mind that in doing so I was losing a little piece of myself.
While it would be almost unrealistic to make every decision only after you had rationalized through the benefits and weighed them against the downfalls for yourself, I think that it is in everyone's best interest to not completely surrender on issues that are particularly dear to you. Compromise is healthy in any relationship, but when it comes to morality issues, I simply will not budge. Does it make some people angry? Probably. Do people dislike me because of it? They very possibly could. But at the end of the day, which is more important to me: Knowing that I stayed true to myself or having the approval of someone else at the price of surrendering a little bit of who I am? Further, what is more important at the end of the day: Maintaining your own serenity and happiness or sacrificing it for the short-term happiness of someone else? I don't want to knock being considerate of others in any way, shape, or form with this post - but I do think that there is a fine line between being considerate and thoughtful and sacrificing your own well being by solely being motivated to people please. Afterall, can you really make anyone truly happy when you aren't happy yourself? Are you fully capable of loving someone if you don't fully love yourself?
I've reached a point in my life where I am done with trying to make people happy at the expense of myself. It's my turn to be happy. I deserve to be happy. I deserve to be put first some times without feeling guilty about being "selfish".
Does anyone else struggle with remembering to take their own emotions into account?
Saturday, August 25, 2012
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Quick Post - Win Some Handcrafted WoodRoze Shades! |
http://spunkyrealdeal.blogspot.com/2012/07/woodroze-sunglasses-review.html#.UDjkB9ZlQ84
Thursday, August 23, 2012
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Let's Go to the Doggy Beach, Each, Let's Go Get a Wave |
Speaking of hodge-podge, random picture posts, that's actually what I'm doing today (hip hip hurray!) Over the weekend, Hubs and I took Diezel to the doggy beach here and he learned to swim. Absolutely adorable! Diezel is such a little rascal - it was like over stimulation times fifty billion when we finally got to the beach. Not only were there dozens and dozens of dogs, but there was also the water...something he had never been in or seen before (with the exception of baths, rain, and playing in the sprinkler). With my recent Instagram kick, I just had to take pictures of his little doggy self swimming in the bay.
Headed to the doggy beach! Diezel hates car rides for some reason...he whined the entire way. I was about ready to pull my hair out.
Swimming to daddy!
Awww!
He was dead tired on the drive home...it was quiet and peaceful :)
Like I said, MONDAY morning. I need my freaking coffee. My techie/research/technology-dependent self instinctively did what any technology age nerd would do: I Googled it. Ol' Google informed me that cowboys used to make coffee by boiling the grounds in a pot of water over a fire. Obviously I wasn't about to start a fire, but I figured why not try to boil it on the stove? Seemed logical right? Then I remembered the grounds. I didn't think I would be able to handle glugging down the gritty grounds, but it had been at least an hour and a half since I woke up and no one was pulling the wool over my eyes: I would out smart those stinky coffee grounds with my ingenius creation:
Yah, take that gritty grounds! I ain't no dummie!
But the coffee (and the grounds) had the last laugh as the appearance of my "coffee" began to turn a sludgy, muddy, mucky, dingey brown stew. Things weren't looking too good at this point.
Coffee anyone? Did you spot the ground son the sides and the floaters? Ick!
After attempting to strain out the grounds with my above-shown ungenius idea (do I even need to say that it didn't work?), I figured that ladling the coffee out and into my cup would just be easier. So I did. And the coffee tasted like dirty water. Not even a slight hint-o-coffee was present. It was a coffeeless morning for this chick. It wasn't until around 3 p.m. that I finally figured out how to fix my coffee maker. Bet your bottom I made and drank an entire pot of coffee regardless of the time!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
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If I Pretend You Are Superior and All-Knowing, Will You Just Leave Me The Deuce Alone??? |
I don't care if you have more money than I do. I don't give a rat's rear what rank your husband is or is going to be. I don't care about how much weight you have lost or what your jeans size is. And guess what? I don't care how put together you may make your life seem. You are obviously insecure and hurting - scratching around for some way to justify that you are worth a darn to yourself. I'm sorry, but I refuse to be around you. I like to win and be the best at something just as much as the next guy, but I refuse to trample people in the process of becoming the "best". I'll get there through humble hard work and determination, not by using violent, cruel words or vicious insinuations. Thanks anyway!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
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Excited To Announce Übokia! |
We have all had a run-in with Craigslist at one time or another. Sometimes things turn out alright for both parties and other times, well...not so ideally. I'm kind of torn when it comes to Craigslist, if we are being honest. I am almost addicted to sleuthing out good deals, but then again a bit leery and creeped out when I accidentally click on one of the "single and looking" ads, or think about actually having to go meet up with someone in order to make an exchange. Now let's talk Ebay. Bidding can be a nightmare - especially when idiot people bid you up so that you end up paying way more than you would have had to in the beginning. What the heck is an online buy or seller to do?
Übokia makes buying online easy: you are in complete control of your online buying experience. Simply type in your "want" and let the sellers come to you! No bidding, no fruitless hours of searching, no super sleuth skills required! What's even better is that there is no sketchiness involved - Übokia is PayPal and Norton Security verified; by using uTrust, it is the safest way to buy online. Übokia also has great perks for sellers - this is especially for all of my military spouse entrepreneurs out there! Übokia makes connecting with buyers easy with the blog-based marketplace. Selling on a blog-based marketplace means that you can immediately connect with with other like-minded people, making it easier and more personable to link up with prospective customers.
My favorite aspect about the Übokia blog-based marketplace is that it is extremely handy for military spouse entrepreneurs. I can't tell you how many fellow milSO bloggers I know who are also small business owners. Trying to market yourself on Etsy sometimes just simply does not cut it. For those milSO entrepreneurs who are craving a more professional way to integrate their small business into their blog, Übokia is the way to go. Rather than waiting for prospective customers to stumble upon your Etsy shop or Weebly site, they can come into immediate contact with your business and products with the Übokia marketplace, making it more likely for them to make a purchase due to common shared interests.
Today I am launching my very own Übokia marketplace here on The Air Force Wife. I will like to it below and add an easy-access link in the right sidebar for you all. I am very excited to be working with Übokia as one of their Brand Ambassadors and I am looking forward to seeing what you all think of it so please share your feedback!
Check out my Übokia marketplace here!
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I was compensated for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
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New Offers! |
AboutOne allows you to organize your photos, events, upcoming appointments, birthdays, numbers and addresses of friends, and more all in a safe and secure location. They are currently allowing new members to join for FREE! This great organizational tool keeps me on track with upcoming blogging deadlines, Hubby's appointments, and birthdays - my brain would be on overload with out it! Check AboutOne out and sign up below:
Have you been looking to jump start a new weight loss/fitness plan, but are dreading trying to find a gym? 24 Hour Fitness wants to help you find your best gym match by offering you a FREE 7 day gym trial to any one of their locations! Use the club locator to track down the gym nearest to you and print out your free week of fitness!
With just moving into this new house, Hubs and I most definitely have our work cut out for us as far as decorating goes. There is a ton of empty wall space that is just screaming for us to hang something on it. Perfect timing for Canvas People's current promotion: a FREE 8x10 canvas print + $40 OFF your entire order, all you have to pay is shipping! Here is the print we got:
Beautiful quality and the perfect size! I do have to say that I'm not sure how much longer this offer is going to be running for - it all began as an Olympic promotion, so if you want to take advantage of this fantastic deal, I'd highly suggest gittin' 'er dun here soon!
Calling all crafters: How about a nice, relaxing getaway in the form of a crafty cruise? Craftsy is hosting their first ever Craftsy Quilt Cruise Giveaway...sounds odd, right? They are taking a week-long cruise around the carribbean with stops at Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and Mexico, but that isn't the fun part. Enjoy every second of your travel to those destinations all while learning new quilting techniques from experts Carol Ann Waugh, Weeks Ringle, Pam Holland, and more! Okay, now all of you quilters have to tell me: How many of you have fantasized about this before? I know I have! How relaxing! Enter for your chance to win here:
I want to leave you guys with my absolute favorite offer that is currently going on. Ink Garden knows just how special your loved one's homecoming can be and they want to offer all military families 50% homecoming banners, support T-shirts, mugs, you name it! I've been meaning to make a couple of cute little mugs with Hubby's BMT picture, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Follow the link below and enter the coupon code MILITARY50 at checkout. What are your all's ideas for a cute customized homecoming surprise?
Friday, August 17, 2012
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YOU OWE IT TO YOUR COUNTRY! |
I absolutely refuse to get too deep into controversial political issues here at The Air Force Wife, although I am a very opinionated person. I really do not want to offend anyone and in order to avoid doing so, I am going to keep my mouth shut all together (unless asked, of course).
I do, however, want to take a minute to inquire as to how many of you are registered to vote in the upcoming election. For those of you who, like me, wait until the last minute to register or flat out have no flipping idea how to register, I want to share a great website with you. Gotta Register makes voter registration quick and easy - just fill in your information, print it out, sign, fold, tape, slap a stamp on, and git 'er in the mail. A lot easier than having to make a trip to your county courthouse or trying to figure things out over the phone.
As the title says, you owe it to your country to vote. I know how daunting voter registration can seem, especially as being a young military spouse who has just moved to a brand new area. Gotta Register makes it a breeze - no need to even leave your house (except for a quick mailbox run, that is). Make sure that your voice is heard this November. Every vote does count - your opinion does matter.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
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COACH Giveaway!!!!!! |
Winning is very very simple: Move your cursor back and forth in a "scratching" motion over the color swatch below to reveal if you are an instant winner or not. Where it says "CHIC IS WHERE YOU FIND IT", the text will change if you are an instant winner.
Enter as many times as you would like by simply "tagging" the color via one of your social media outlets. Be sure to share and help spread the word!
Enter as many times as you would like by simply "tagging" the color via one of your social media outlets. Be sure to share and help spread the word!
Prizes:
- SIX (6) Instant win game grand prizes: $500 Coach gift card.
- FOURTEEN (14) Instant win game first prizes: $250 Coach gift card.
- NINETY (90) Instant win game second prizes: $100 Coach gift card.
Get to tagging for your chance to win!
IN ADDITION:
Coach will be giving away THREE prizes to the blogs who obtain the most color tags. I'm super stoked about these prizes and once you see them, I'm sure you will understand my enthusiasm:
ONE (1) Blog contest grand prize: $2,500 Coach gift card.
ONE (1) Blog contest grand prize: $2,500 Coach gift card.
ONE (1) Blog contest first prize: $1,500 Coach gift card.
ONE (1) Bloc contest second prize: $1,000 Coach gift card.
PLEASE help me out here, guys! I would LOVE to get a cute Coach teacher bag for my sister as a belated college graduation gift.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
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Chic Boutique Bow Winner Announced + School Update |
Anyways, it wouldn't be right for me to simply post the winner...you guys need a little bit of edge-of-your-seat, intense suspense in your lives, and guess what? You're in luck. I'm going to ramble. And stall. And perhapsy just ramble some more (if you're feeling that lucky). Can you tell I'm tired? Like dead tired? If your answer is no, maybe it's because you can't see me. I really should record me typing up a post with my webcam sometime so you all can see this wonderful process. Typically I will get up, get distracted, come back half an hour later, finish typing, reread, reread again, check for spelling/grammar issues, preview, reread one last time, and then submit. Well, this morning I'm literally just sitting here like a freaking lump on a log. I may or may not tip over, fall off of my spinny office chair, and instantaneously fall asleep when I hit the carpet. Hubs has been getting me up before he leaves for work every day. Did I mention that he is done with being on wash crew so he goes in at 0700 instead of 0800 now? We also live an hour from the base. That puts him leaving here at around 5:30. I usually feel pretty peppy and accomplished if I'm even up before 0900. But I have got to get school finished guys. I am down to the wire now, and in all honesty, I'm probably going to have to purchase an extension *insert super duper sluper cooper pooper any other rhyming words sad face here*. Not that I should be complaining - I mean MyCAA did completely cover the cost of my course, I have just been so caught up with everything but school that I am now finding myself with only 50 days of access left to the course and 246 projected hours until completion. Plus the final exam. But, I am in luck because there is currently a military spouse promotion going on over at Career Step where I can purchase a 4-month extension for $50 less than it normally is. All of that to say that I have been getting up at the flipping butt crack of dawn, drinking 10+ cups of coffee per day, and working on school from before the sun is even up in the morning until the sun is down at night. It sucks! So please forgive me for being kind of negligent in regards to The Air Force Wife...
Dear Real Life,
Is it really necessary for you to get in the way of my blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking fantasy land? Why you gotta do me like that??
Anyways, I don't have anything else to use as a staller topic, so here is the winner:
Congrats, Kristina!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
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Tell-All Tuesday: Sally Hansen Precision Brush-On Hair Remover |
2.0 oz./$7.99 at Walgreens
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Eliminates
stubborn, hard to remove hair
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Perfect
for face, chin/lip
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Helps
reduce appearance of regrowth
I hate the fact
that, with this post, I am admitting to having unwanted facial hair (not like I
have a big bushy Amish beard or anything), but I am super self conscious about
having a mustache...I mean, let's get real here: We have all seen those ladies with darker hair who have
a mustache, or the older ladies with whiskers on their chins - it's no wonder we are all paranoid!
So one day (I think prior to a date or meeting up with some cute guy), I decided to give this product a shot. If you have used Nair or Veet before, this is basically the same thing,
but in a more face-sensitive, not so harsh formula. It also claims to have
moisturizers and other nourishing ingredients for your skin as well.
The applicator
for this hair remover is kind of like a concealer brush. You squeeze
the tube and apply the product with the brush...easy enough, right? Not so
much. When I first opened up my tube of hair remover, I just couldn't seem to
squeeze hard enough to get the product to come out! So, of course, I'd finally
had it. I moved the stubborn tube of shame over my sink and squeezed it as hard as I possibly could, naturally resulting in a huge mess. Superb first impression!
As far as the actual hair
removal goes, the instructions state that you will see results in as little as 3
minutes, which I did find true. But of course, I wanted to be sure that I got all
of the hair removed from my upper lip, so I left the cream on for the max amount of
time. Not only does this product smell like Veet or Nair, but it also BURNS like
Veet or Nair, too. Not just the sensation of burning either, which I unfortunately discovered first hand. Although it did a great job of removing my unwanted hair, it also literally
burned my upper lip. I had very light, but visible scabs and had to keep a cold
wash cloth on my upper lip for an entire day. Embarrassing much?
I really don't
ever recommend this kind of stuff to anyone, regardless of the severity of facial
hair growth you may suffer from. I have since my trial with this product found
these awesome "brow shapers" at Walgreens and they work fantastically for removing
unwanted facial hair, as well as taming unruly side burns and, of course, brows. If you do decide to try this product
out, please proceed with caution! Leave it on for the least amount of time as possible to
avoid total mustache humiliation!
Psst: for those
of you who accidentally left the hair remover on for too long like I did and
now have a nasty looking scab, try using some Neosporin or triple antibiotic
ointment to help speed up the healing process. Do not use foundation or
concealer on the burn to avoid bringing more attention to your
traumatic injury - powder use only!
Monday, August 13, 2012
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A Bit More Personal Post |
I finally reached a point over the weekend when I realized that I had gotten back to my old self - the controlling, manipulative, cynical Rachel that I had hoped and prayed I would never have to face again. I had forgotten everything that I learned up in South Dakota and allowed myself to return to the state of darkness and despair - something I hoped I would never have to battle my way through again. So yesterday morning I was woken up by something (could have been Hubby's snoring or Grizzly rooting around - who knows), but I was fully awake instantaneously. That's weird for me. It takes me a minimum of 10 minutes to be fully awake in the morning, depending on how fast I can down a cup of coffee...or two...sometimes three. I suddenly got the urge to read - to read my Bible, to read a Beth Moore daily devotional book that I received from my dad, and to read the Al-Anon literature. So I did. I grabbed a pen and a journal my sister recently sent me in a goodie package, filled up my coffee cup, and headed out onto the lanai.
What I read yesterday morning was the only encouragement I needed to completely convince me that I was doing what God intended for me to do by picking up and reading those books. I paged my way through each of them to the entries marked for "August 12" and was moved by what I read. It was one of those God moments - when you know that it was Him who woke you up and Him who lead you to that literature and Him who was trying to speak to you. The words that I read still rang loud and clear in my head as I read my passages this morning and even still now as I'm constructing this post:
I must learn not to expect or demand. I will look for, and appreciate, positive and desirable actions, and not concentrate on the negative. I must, in other words do something constructive about my own attitude. Let me learn to accept things as they are and stop manipulating them into changing.
Of all of the 365 pages in that particular book - out of all of the books I could have chosen to read, or even activities I could have chosen to do that morning rather than read, that is the page I was led to. God is good.
Friday, August 10, 2012
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Summer Must Haves #5: Sally Hansen Nails and Cuticles Hand Creme |
Product #5: Sally Hansen Nails and Cuticles Hand Creme
$5.99 for full size bottle
This creme is made with shea butter and softens hands, smooths crusty cuticles, and conditions nails. Active Moisture Complex formula with Ceramides helps to lock in nutrients so hands maintain their ideal moisture level. This hand creme brags to offer 24 moisture that lasts through hand washings and I found it to do EXACTLY as it claimed. Not only did I notice a difference in how incredibly soft my hands were, but even Hubby, the king of being unobservative, noticed. Need I say more? I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PRODUCT! It is probably my favorite of the lot I was sent by Influenster (although it's super super close between this and the Hawaiian Silk). And yes, if you couldn't tell by my enthusiasm, I will be repurchasing. :)
$5.99 for full size bottle
This creme is made with shea butter and softens hands, smooths crusty cuticles, and conditions nails. Active Moisture Complex formula with Ceramides helps to lock in nutrients so hands maintain their ideal moisture level. This hand creme brags to offer 24 moisture that lasts through hand washings and I found it to do EXACTLY as it claimed. Not only did I notice a difference in how incredibly soft my hands were, but even Hubby, the king of being unobservative, noticed. Need I say more? I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PRODUCT! It is probably my favorite of the lot I was sent by Influenster (although it's super super close between this and the Hawaiian Silk). And yes, if you couldn't tell by my enthusiasm, I will be repurchasing. :)
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Summer Must Haves #4: Clear Scalp and Hair Beauty Therapy |
Product #4: Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy
$4.99 - $5.99 for 12.7 oz. and 12.9 oz bottles
$4.99 - $5.99 for 12.7 oz. and 12.9 oz bottles
I once had a phase where I was convinced that a miracle shampoo existed in some tucked-away corner of the universe. I tried everything from Paul Mitchell to Matrix to Tresemme and everything in between with no luck. Take into consideration that I haven't always had the greatest relationship with my hair. Back in my high school days, if I wasn't damaging it in some way, shape, or form, there was something wrong. I'd dye it regularly, blow dry and straighten it every morning, tease the heck out of it, and suffocate it in product. All of that having been said, I'm sure you can imagine that a "miracle" product for me was going to have to be pure gold in a bottle. I'm very picky when it comes to hair care products and I will know within a matter of 2-3 uses whether or not I like the product (if not immediately). I wasn't a fan of Clear shampoo. While it did make my hair feel silky soft and help it resist humidity-induced frizz, it seemed to speed up my hair getting greasy - I'm not sure if it had anything to do with the intense scalp-targeting moisturizers or what, but this shampoo + conditioner combo wasn't for me. I think it would be an excellent product for people with a dry/itchy/flaky scalp though!
I received this product complimentary for testing and reviewing purposes courtesy of Influenster.
I received this product complimentary for testing and reviewing purposes courtesy of Influenster.
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Summer Must Haves #3: Always & Tampax Always Radiant Collection |
Product # 3: Tampax and Always Radiant CollectionPrices vary per box
Check out the Always and Tampax websites for more info!
Tampax and Always have come together to premiere the all-new, stylish Radiant Collection, a complete offering of premium tampons, pads, liners, and wipes that meets all of a woman's feminine care needs. With designer packaging and wrappers, these products are must-have accessories for that time of the month. And okay, who has ever had a tampon fall out of their purse while savagely rummaging through for a stick of gum or chapstick? Who has ever had a boyfriend blush a ridiculous shade of red when they spot a tampon peaking out to say hello from your purse? The zipper pouch in the side, you may ask? Real discrete - I think just about everyone knows what's in there. I absolutely loved the Always Radiant clutch because no one had any idea what was in it - it just looks like a cute little wallet or trinket pouch. The tampons themselves were extremely comfortable with uniquely fancy-pantsy packaging. I love the reliable protection and discrete disposal. The clutch has permanently made it's way into my purse and I will have to further look into the price of the tampons to determine whether or not I will repurchase them.
I received this product complimentary for testing and reviewing purposes courtesy of Influenster
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Summer Must Haves #2: Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen |
Product # 2: Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30
$8.99 for 6 oz. bottle, also available in SPF 12, 30, and 50
Living in Florida calls for sunscreen, lots of sunscreen. Whether you are planning on having a beach day, taking a quick trip to the community pool, or simply just mowing the lawn - protecting your skin against harmful UVA and UVB rays is a must, especially with hearing so much about skin cancer these days. What I loved about Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration sunscreen was that it really didn't feel like sunscreen...allow me to clarify: You know how traditional sunscreen seems to give you a pasty look? How it feels greasy, oily, slimy, and gross? This stuff doesn't do that in the least bit. It feels more like a daily-use lotion with it's impressive 12-hour moisturization technology that still activated when you are in the water.Now call me weird, but I love the smell of sunscreen. I actually once bought a rather pricey perfume from Victoria's Secret solely based upon the fact that it smelt like sunscreen, so needless to say I may not be the best judge of how "sunscreeny" this UV blocker smells. I can tell you, though, that it had a nice tropical/coconut kind of scent to it. Not the fake bake lotion kind, just a refreshing tropical smell. I will definitely be purchasing this product, but this time in SPF 50 - take that UVA and UVB rays!
I received this product complimentary for testing and reviewing purposes courtesy of Influenster.
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Summer Must Haves #1: Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color |
Product #1: Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color - 3D Effects
$9.99 at Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Target - you can find great Sally Hansen coupons though!
If my summer could be defined by a particular nail polish, this would undoubtedly be it (in addition to all of my bright, crazy colors that is). The minute I saw this polish gazing back at me in the Influenster box I was like "Great...this is going to be fun...if by fun you mean impossibly hard and ridiculously time consuming." I'll admit it: I was wrong. You read that correct - I admitted that I was wrong. You'd better take a screen shot or something because that doesn't happen too often. ;) The polish comes with a magnetic top which, after you have applied a second coat of the nail polish and it is still wet, you place your nail parallel to. The unique formula was specially developed with metallic particles, so once you hold your wet nail over the magnet, tada!You have your uniquely designed nails!
To make your 3D nails experience a lot smoother and far more enjoyable, I want to let you guys in on a few tips I picked up from my first couple of tries with this polish:
Tip #1: Allow your first coat to dry completely before starting in on the second. I found that using a really thin first coat worked best.
Tip #2: When beginning with your second coat, only do one nail at a time! For example, second coat your thumb, magnetize it, then move on to your pointer finger, etc. Makes it a lot less rushed and gives you far better designs!
Tip #3: If you have wide nails, be sure to rotate them! Use the ridge on the lid to rest your finger on (right below the cuticle line) and slowly, but completely rock your finger back and forth so that the nail surface has been entirely exposed to the magnet - otherwise, you will just have an odd skunk stripe down the middle of your fingers ;-P
Tip #4: Always finish with a good top coat for longer lasting color!
Tip #5: Last but most certainly not least - remember to have fun! Try using your magnetic polish in correlation with a colored polish or try holding the magnet in different ways for different designs - make this look uniquely yours!
I received this product complimentary for testing and reviewing purposes courtesy of Influenster.
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Influenster Summer Beauty VoxBox |
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
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Daily Deals: Get Paid to Share Your Opinion, FREE Custom Calendar, & UPS My Choice! |
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Free personalized calendar (just in time for back to school!) with up to 13 of your own personal pictures included. Just pay shipping!
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Tuesday, August 7, 2012
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Tell-All Tuesday: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color |
0.31 oz./ $4.99 (buy one get one 1/2 off) @ Walgreens
·
Covers
in just one coat
·
Color
glides on precisely and quickly
·
Dries
in 60 seconds
If we are going
to be friends, you may as well know right now: I have a fetish with painting my
nails. Back in my high school days, I would paint them (sometimes daily) to
match my outfits and other crazy things along those lines. My nails are rarely
the same color(s) for more than a week. There is something so relaxing about
painting my nails, and I always feel 100x's prettier with a fresh coat of
polish to rock.
Now that I've
gotten that off my chest, let's get down to business with this particular
polish. Let's start with the brush. It's about double the size of your typical
nail polish brush, and rather than being in a rounded shape, it is flat. Weird,
right? It's actually quite genius if you think about it - a wider brush can
cover more of your nail with just one stroke. It makes it so much easier to get
a nice looking, even coat of polish simply because you aren't having to re-dip
your brush in the polish and frantically smear around the already drying polish
on your nail. Speaking of drying polish, let's move to that next.
Insta-Dri lives
up to its name to say the least. I always start with painting my thumb and
then move outward, ending with my pinkie; by the time I am finished with my
pinkie, my thumb is usually dry. (Keep in mind that if you glob on the polish,
you obviously won't experience the same results). It's such a relief to have
fast drying polish for those of us with a busy on-the-go lifestyle; it completely
removes the worry of smudging, smearing, or bumping a nail and ruining it so that you have
to completely redo it (and typically in the process of removing the polish from
the ruined nail, you proceed to ruin another 4-5 nails with the nail polish
remover...). Slow drying nail polish is such a hassle. How many of us really
have an extra 10-15 minutes to sit around uselessly and wait for our nail
polish to dry!? I'm sure there aren't many of you raising your hands.
The color quality
of this polish is phenomenal. As said in the product description above, you
really can get great coverage with just one coat. It's always beneficial to do
an additional coat to increase the color intensity while decreasing your risk for chips.
So how long does
this polish stay on your nails? Well, I'm afraid that may be the only downfall. I noticed chipping on the second day, mind you I wash dishes by hand and am
also a hand-washing and sanitizing freak. I had applied two coats and not used
a base or top coat, so perhaps that would lead to a more desirable outcome.
All in all, I do
love this nail polish line. I have tried this polish in the Brisk Blue,
Lightening and Grape Going and simply love them all. They are so fun, vibrant, and youthful. If you are looking for a quick drying polish with a lot of fun,
outrageous color options, definitely check the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polishes
out the next time you are at the drugstore.
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