Quickie Review: NYC Big Bold Gloss

Well, if it weren't for the awesome free things Influenster gives me, I would not have written this blog post at all.  I am not a fan of this product, but I'll start out with the pros:
~it does make my lips look glossy
~you get a lot of product for a small price

Alright, now for the cons:
~the applicator wand is HUGE
~said wand picks up way too much products
~the formula is really sticky
~it does not plump the lips like the brand claims


Overall, I would not purchase this with my own money.  It looked interesting as a possible dupe for a higher end plumping gloss, but it just does not do the job.

Until next time,
~Andrea

I received this product for free from Influenster for review and testing purposes only. All opinions are my own.

BzzKit Kroger Skillet Meals

Let me take you back to dinner last night at my house.......This will be a review, led by photos, of a BzzKit I received from BzzAgent.

 The main course

 The sauce looks funny because it comes out in frozen chunks. Don't worry though, they turn into creamy bliss after being heated thoroughly. 

 The main issue I have with this main dish---the sodium content. For those who have high blood pressure, I do not suggest choosing this particular skillet meal. Maybe one of the other flavors will have lower sodium, but I doubt it.

 Mmmm, garlic bread.  This baby heats up in the oven in 8-10 minutes also like the skillet meal.

 To complete and round out the meal, I prepared this salad. LOVE!

 There was plenty in the bag for a third salad as well. In fact, I believe these three products could feed a family of four.

 I had a lot of left over garlic bread. It would be cool if you could buy just half a loaf of this type of garlic bread.

And this is what the main course looks like all heated up and ready to eat.

Overall:

I love that everything in the meal gets done around the same time.  Timing is one of the most stressful parts about cooking.  This meal takes the guesswork out of it.  I think this is a great option for a small family who is crunched for time or not the best at cooking.  All you have to be skilled at is turning on the stove/oven!  If you can use a microwave, you can heat up this meal in 10mins!

I received coupons to get these products for free at Kroger, from BzzAgent.  Join BzzAgent here.
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imPRESS Broadway Nails...Not Really Impressed

It's almost been a month since I've received the Spring Fever VoxBox from Influenster.  This is the last product I have tried from that box. I was the most skeptical and wary about this product. Nails that supposedly just press-on to everyone's nails? That cannot be.

I finally bit the bullet today and put forth some effort into trying out these press-on nails. The most annoying part is searching through all the tiny nail chips to find and organize the ones that will fit each nail.  This process took me half an hour. Now that may seem like a long time, but I can be a perfectionist when it comes to nails. I had to make sure I was putting the same pattern on both of my ring fingers, both of my pinkies, etc. I did not want to see my natural nail exposed on the sides of the imPRESS nail. During this process of "does it fit?" a few dislikes came to mind:
1. This is only good for one manicure.
2. The package says they last "up to" one week. I can get my regular nail polish to last at least that long!
3. I throw away a lot of nails that do not fit my own. I just have a problem with buying something and not being able to use it all.

Okay, time for some pictures and I'll tell you about my satisfaction after application:

 D060 Over the Moon was the pack I received.

They are a deep red base color with gold "water marble" overlay.
I do quite like how the water marbling is different for each nail but the same for each hand, clever you!

 Naturally, my nails do not look this uniform However I have never used acrylics or press-on nails before, so maybe this is something I will just have to get used to.

The last big issue I have found is that the plastic nails do not lay flush to my natural nail. This gets annoying when they snag in your hair and the glued area exposed gets stuck to the strands of hair. OUCH!

Overall, my opinion about these press-on nails is that they are not worth the money. Just try out water marbling yourself! It may take a few attempts and probably won't look perfect, but I prefer natural nail work ANY DAY.

This product was sent to me for free from Influenster for testing/review purposes only. These are my honest opinions.

Schwarzkopf OSiS+ Gelastic, a full day of review

This post will take you through a typical day of using Gelastic in short, curly hair.

 Here, my hair is towel dried and combed through. I am showing what the packaging looks like.

I only use a penny-sized dollop of Gelastic, and it goes through all of my hair.

(I apologize for the yellow bathroom light. All of these photos were taken with my ipod, so they are not of the highest quality.)

 Both sides of my head, after applying Gelastic. It separates my curls and adds definition. When I first used this product, I was afraid it would dry like this.  Boy was I surprised!

My hair dried like usual, but this product just helps hold any style I work into it with my fingers. I used my hands to finger curl my hair away from my face. I have found that this works better than combing it straight through.

Here is what my hair looks like at the end of the day, after using Gelastic. 

A few things I like in particular about this product:

It keeps frizz down.

It helps hold my style, even under slightly windy conditions.

It does not make my hair crunchy.

There is no harsh smell left behind.

I think this would be a good product for both men and women!

I was sent OSiS+ Gelastic for free from Influenster for testing and review purposes. :)

A quick review of Big Applelicious: NYC New York Color, a fresh and fruity Summer Glossy Lip Balm

 First of all, the product arrived sealed, which I loved. Anything that I am going to apply to my face or skin should always have a seal on it! It just helps me feel better about using it and knowing that no one else has.

 Next, I want to talk about this adorable pink apple core. It is made of Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, and Avocado Oil. It is incredibly hydrating, while still feeling sheer on the lips.

 Here is a Before shot...

 ...and After applying the Glossy Lip Balm in 356 Big Apple Red

Application is really easy. If you go outside of your lip line, one quick swipe of your finger can fix any mistakes. I know some lipsticks and balms are really hard to get off your skin if you mess up. With this product, that is so not the case.

 Here is what my Applelicious looks like so far. I have used it about a handful of times. So far the center is wearing down a little faster than the outside, more pigmented area. A downside is that it seems to be wearing down pretty quickly. Maybe it was because of the fact that I swiped this product a lot when I first got it, expecting more of a color payoff.

If your lips need to be awakened and you don't want to scare people off with a bold lip color, go for this Glossy Lip Balm! At a price of only $2.99, why not?

All opinions are my own. I was sent this product for free from Influenster for testing/review purposes.

Secret Outlast Clear Gel....Changed my perceptions about gel deodorant!

I cannot believe I am typing these words.
This product has completely changed how I view gel deodorant from now on! In the past, I would have automatically discounted any deodorant in gel form.  The whole idea used to repulse me.  Why would anyone put something already wet onto their armpits and expect it to repel sweat?? Well I am here to say that after trying the Outlast Clear Gel, I have a new outlook on gel deodorant!

Currently I own two varieties of Degree deodorant: ultra clear pure clean invisible solid and clinical protection motion sense in the fresh energy scent (it's kind of a white whipped texture, in between a solid and a gel)   These are both good at keeping me sweat free, but boy do they leave white marks!

This is the Secret Outlast Clear Gel that I received for testing purposes free from Influenster :

If you cant tell from the picture, it is a 1.7 ounce size and in the scent Completely Clean.
To apply this product, I click the wheel at the bottom 2 or three times for each armpit. I apply deodorant when I just have a cami/tank top on but before I put my outer shirt on.  I let the product dry on my armpits for at least 5 mins (to pass the time I dance around my room to a few songs).  Then I am good to go, and put on the rest of my clothing.  It's really that simple. I think this will be my go-to deodorant for warm weather.  I do not think I'll be able to air out my pits in the winter without freezing, haha.

Once again I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. 

My First Tastykake® Kandy Bar Kake

My stomach is still thanking me after eating a Reese's Tastykake® Kandy Bar Kake.  It was just so delicous!  Please enjoy the following pics (or food porn) of me trying this product for the very first time.

 Ahh, even the packaging makes my mouth water.

 Of course I couldn't open the wrapper without basically splitting it in two, haha.

 Surprised that it's tasting so delicous!!

 Mmmmmm. Savor the flavor!

 Up close shot of the peanut butter drizzle on top.....

and the layers of cake and peanut butter throughout. 

 Not much left! :(

 Sad little crumbs....

All gone!

I am definitely going to track down these lil' cakes at my local grocery store! {Calories only count if you count them. ;) }
I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Influenster! All opinions are my own.

Here's some background on the company: "The Tasty Baking Company, founded in 1914 and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is one of the country’s leading bakers of snack cakes, pies, cookies, and donuts. As a subsidiary of Flowers Foods, the company has bakery facilities in Philadelphia and Oxford, Pa. that offer more than 100 products under the Tastykake brand name. Celebrated for their freshness and quality ingredients, the Tastykake line includes such classics as Krimpets, Kandy Kakes, Juniors, and Kreamies." -taken from Influenster.

Here is the Tasty Kake website~~~ Click Me!