Product Review: Schick Hydro Silk Razor

As a BzzAgent, I get the opportunity to try new products on the market time to time in exchange for my honest feedback.  The latest product is Schick Hydro Silk Razor.  Previous to this razor I didn't have a goto holy grail razor.  After trying this razor, unfortunately I still don't.

Cartridge right out of the package

Receiving the package, the razor looked appealing.  It had a nice rubbery grip.  However that is the best thing about the razor.  The cartridge does have 5 blades which is a plus, but the cartridge has built in moisturizing serum. It sounds good in theory, but when wet it gets gooey and clogs the blades.  After the second or third use, since the blades get dull, it almost guarantees nicks.  Because the blades get dull so quickly I needs to replace the cartridges more often then I normally would.

The overall shave is ok, leaves you pretty smooth, but with the occasional nick.  The moisturizing serum is not moisturizing enough to use by itself, but feels a litle too slick when you use shaving cream/gel.  I do use shaving cream/gel when using the Schick Hydro Silk razor.  I do feel that growth seems to come back faster when using this razor.

After one week of use

I am glad I got to try out this razor through BzzAgent as I would have been disappointed paying money for this.  Has anyone else tried this razor?  What are your thoughts?

Product Review: Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser

As a BzzAgent, I have the opportunity to try out new products on the market.  One of the products I am trying out is Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser  and Fragrance Mist.

The Fragrance Mist is an aerosol spray that has a decorative holder.  I would like the holder to look a little less sterile.  Personally I prefer to see the can then this holder. I do like that this product does come in several scents.  On the website there are 8 scents.  Unfortunately in the stores in my area, they only have a couple of scents.  I picked up Spring Showers.  This scent is nice spring scent great for this time of year.  It sprays a fine mist that dissipates in the air.  If this product is on sale or I have a coupon I will repurchase.  I would like to try the Starlit Evening or Vibrant Blossom scents.

The other new product out by Glade Expressions is an Oil Diffuser.  It is a decorate piece that snaps into the oil chamber.  The unfortunate thing about this is that it only comes in three scents.  I picked up the pineapple and mango.  This scent is the epitome of summer.  It smells of a suntan lotion I have uses in the past.  The throw of the scent is very strong.  I originally had it in my bathroom and was overpowering, so I had to move to a larger room.  I am in week three of using the product, and the scent is still very strong,.  The diffuser is attractive and goes with most motifs.  When I had it in the bathroom it looked nice.  As I mentioned earlier, I moved into the guest room and looks nice while making the room smell nice.  When I have had people over they have complimented the scent, and let them know of the Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser.  Most who were able to put a word to the scent said it reminded them of summer.  I handed out most of the coupons I have received.  I think this product is priced pretty fairly.  The refill costs around $3.50 for .6 oz.   I will be repurchasing.

Thanks BzzAgent for introducing me to another great product.

Review: Morninstar Original Grillers

As a BzzAgent, I get to try out items now and then in exchange for my honest review of the product.  

My latest product is MorningStar meatless products. Let me first start off with that I am a very picky eater. I can dislike a food because of taste, smell, texture, sight, you name it. I am very basic when it comes to my liking of any foods (except dessert, I don't discriminate too much when it comes to dessert).

I went with the Morningstar Original Grillers, which is more or less like a veggie patty. The nutrition content cannot be beat; 130 calories, 6 grams of fat, 15 grams of protein and no cholesterol. I prepare it either plain like a hamburger with ketchup and pickles, or a doctor it up a bit by making a 'bullseye' griller (see pic below). I always use sandwich thins as a bun to keep calories down, and to be able to enjoy the taste of the griller. I then add a slice of low fat american cheese, a few French's fried onions, and organic BBQ sauce. This is my go to staple now when I want something quick, satisfying and delicious! 

The flavor of the griller is definitely on par with a burger. It has a grilled flavor that I enjoy. The texture is good, and the color of the patty to me looks natural.

I am glad I had the chance to try MorningStar products, and I am happy to add something healthy to my food rotation.

Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition

Previously I had used Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine per recommendation from www.makeupalley.com because of my hair type.  I have fine hair but lots of it that is somewhat frizzy, wavy, straight, and curly.  If I let my hair air dry, it is a sight for sore eyes.  However the Garnier Sleek and Shine did not deliver what I had hoped.  Then through BzzAgent, the opportunity to try Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition came up, I figured what is there to lose?

Well, let me tell you, this shampoo and conditioner combination is one of the few where I can actually go a day without washing my hair and it actually looking descent.  It really gives my hair good control.  I am able to style it and by day two I can still get away without washing it.  It smells fresh and fruity but definitely not overpowering.  It is a good consistency and makes my hair feel clean and conditioned.  I usually have very tanglely hair, but I am able to comb right through it with my trusty tangle teezer after getting out of the shower.

I am not 100% positive this is holy grail material yet, but it is definitely one of the shampoo and conditioners that I will grab for most often and most likely will repurchase when I run out.

Burt's Bees Natural Sensitive Line

As a BzzAgent,  I get to try various new products that hit the market.  I recently received Burt's Bees Natural Skin Solutions Sensitive Facial Cleanser and Moisturizer.









I will first review the Facial Cleanser.  You don't need too much as a little goes a long way. I usually use Neutrogena'a Natural face wash but do find it to be a little too perfumey. This doesn't have any fragrance to it. It is very emollient feeling. It leaves my skin feeling very refreshed and not dry feeling at all. I still need to use an eye makeup remover to remove the remaining mascara and eye liner left behind, but I have yet to find a facial cleanser to completely remove ALL of my makeup. I really like that it doesn't leave my skin feeling tight like other cleansers do.  It actually leaves my skin feeling moisturized without making it feel oily.  I probably wouldn't have bought this product otherwise but glad I had to the opportunity to try it.  I think I have found my new go to facial Cleanser.

Now onto the moisturizer.  Typically I use Olay Total Effects for Sensitive Skin with SPF 15 (which I haven't been able to find as of late). I was happy when I saw the packaging for this moisturizer to be similar to the Olay. I feel the pump you can control how much or how little product you want. It is a pretty thick cream. I don't find any fragrance smell to this product at all. When applied it does tend to take a while to blend in, which I guess is good that it doesn't sink in right away. I feel it does give my complexion a nice glow, but just make sure you blend it in otherwise you will have a coating of white cream on your face! I have not had any reactions to this moisturizer and have gotten several compliments as of late that my skin has a glow to it. My face feels very smooth and has not created any irritations or bumps. The only thing I don't like about this product is that it does NOT contain SPF in it. I don't like using an additional product for SPF. Luckily my foundation and powder contain SPF, but I would like to have my moisturizer to contain it as well as I don't like to layer multiple creams on my face. I feel like when I do that, that they just kind of sit on top of each other. 

Review: Cover Girl NatureLuxe

Recently I joined a website called BzzAgent.  It is a site where you answer some questions about your interests, and should something come up that is what you might be interested in, they will send you a free full size sample to try and then bzz about.  I learned about it as someone posted about it on Facebook.  I love trying new products and love sharing my opinion about it, whether it good or bad.  The first campaign I received was for the Cover Girl NatureLuxe Collection.  I received NatureLuxe foundation in Aspen and a NatureLuxe Gloss Balm in Grenache.

NatureLuxe Foundation
The color that i received was Aspen.  It is slightly darker than my usual shade, but it blends enough into my skin where you can't see a noticeable difference.  It is very creamy but not heavy at all.  It goes on very smooth and blends right in.  It is very lightweight and doesn't feel like anything is on your skin.  It gives a glow to skin.  I wouldn't recommend it if you need heavy coverage, but is good to even out skintone.  It has SPF 10 which isn't enough to cover all sun outside, but is definitely better than nothing.  It definitely competes with department store foundations.

NatureLuxe Gloss Balm
 The Color I received for the Gloss Balm was Grenache.  I am not a fan of the color, but I guess they sent it based on the color they sent for the foundation.  It is a very cool tone color.  Besides the color I really like this gloss.  It has a very lightweight scent that isn't artificial smelling in the least.  It is shiny and keeps my lips very moisturized and doesn't feel at all sticky.  I am hoping to try other colors to see if they compliment my skintones more.

Overall I like the NatureLuxe Collection from Cover Girl. I think the packaging is attractive and I like then some department brands I have tried. I will definitely will be purchasing once I use up what I currently have.

Finding the right Shampoo and Conditioner for my mop

I have been getting bored of my shampoo and conditioner as of late.  If I air dry my hair, it looks like a bird's nest.  It drys half curly, half wavy, and with these really funky bends in the front of my hair.  Suffice it to say I usually blow dry my hair when I style it.  Even then though I don't have the most manageable hair.  It still frizzes and gets puffy and never fully straight.  To this day I am still trying to find the ideal shampoo and conditioner....I actually found it, BUT, I don't know what it is.  How is that you say??? Well I participate in some online surveys which on occasion will send you products to test.  I received an unmarked Shampoo and Conditioner and it is AWESOME!  It smells great, makes my hair feel amazing, and it styles great!  But, since it doesn't have a name attached to it, I have no clue who would make it, if it even ends up going on the market.  I have wrote the company a few times that conducts the surveys and they said they can't give out any info.  I even asked for an ingredient list, but nothing.  So I am hording it not using it just because once I use it, it will be gone forever :(

So I have been doing a lot of research trying to find a shampoo and conditioner that might be comparable.  I had picked up Pantene Ice Shine Shampoo and Conditioner because I heard how great it is with someone with fine hair.  I can't wait to use it up.  It does nothing for me.  I usually try to use up something before buying and starting another, but I couldn't take it anymore.  I have been doing a lot of research for hair products for people with frizzy fine hair.  L'Oreal Eversleek has been recommended on several occasions.  Luckily I had $4 worth of coupons I went ahead and purchased the Shampoo and Conditioner for Frizzy Hair.  They also have one for chemically straightened hair, but I don't have that so I didn't get that one.  It smells good.  It has sunflower extract in it.  Very light and lingering but not overpowering.  I have been using the S&C the last week, and since I got it has been raining everyday that I use it.  So I couldn't see the real effect.  However today I washed my hair and it didn't rain thank goodness, but I do think there is humidity in the air (but you know what it should fight that, right).  Well it gives my hair a waxy feel, which I think is to weigh down the puffiness and prevent frizz, which I guess it does. But it seems like my hair takes much longer to dry then usual.  Also I still can't get my hair very straight. I pull it taught brushing it while I am blow drying, and I still am ending up with wavy hair.  I guess it looks OK but I am still on the search for the perfect Shampoo and Conditioner.  I have one but it won't last once I use it up.

Have you found your perfect Shampoo and Conditioner?

YUMM-O

Today I tried 3 Musketeers Truffle Crisp Bars for the first time.  I was in need of a snack and all I had near me was a WAWA.  I was looking for something that wasn't TOO bad, and i see these staring at me.  These have to be one of the all time best candy bars and surprisingly not that bad in the calorie department.  The chocolate is very rich, much different from the regular 3 musketeer bar.  There inside is chocolate truffle filling in lieu of the traditional nougat.  I think this is what gives it the distinctive taste.  It is so rich you think you are eating something more more bad for you then you really are.  The final piece to this confectionery goodness is the crispy layer.  It gives the bar a nice texture contrast between the smooth chocolate truffle and the crunch of the crispy layer.  I definitely recommend this if you can find it.  Apparently the distribution of this is limited.

and 8 things I could do without

1. The headaches I get almost everyday.

2. Mean, insensitive, selfish, ignorant, rude people (only one of these has to apply.  All of the above then I really don't want to deal with you).

3. My cravings for all bad foods, sweets, chips, fast food, fried food, dough.

4. My intolerance to stupid people.  If I could tolerate them more I would be a much happier person (as there are a lot of stupid people to deal with).

5. The way I procrastinate.  I would make out a lot better without this burden of procrastination.

6. My need for perfection.  I know it is not going to be perfect, but I still yearn for it to be.

7. The extra 20 lbs. I am carrying around me.  (probably the effect of #3).

8. My lack of motivation at times.  I think I could combine this with #5.

10 things I am liking right now

1. Conan O'Brien's Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour and the awesome I'm with Coco T-shirt I got.  Even though it took us 5 hours to see him in Uncasville, CT it was well worth it.  At first I was not loving the beard Conan is now sporting, but by the end of the show I was totally digging it.  What a talented guy he is.  I felt like I was at a concert.  He played guitar and sang a lot of his skits.

2. Shark Navigator Vacuum.  I was going to do a review on it in a separate entry, but i figure this would be as good as place as any to review this awesome product.  We have been through several vacuums in the last couple of years.  No one should go through as many vacuums in a short amount of time as we have.  We have one cat who sheds a lot and her litter gets everywhere when she jumps out of her box.  If you saw the amount of fur she loses you would swear she had bald patches (she does not however, she is a very plush kitty).  Anyway, after having one vacuum that conked out on us and another that just pushed the debris around the floor, I did a lot of research and found the Shark Navigator to have some great reviews.  It is compared to the Dyson but half the price.  It is a very lightweight vacuum and the design of the cup that collects the dirt empties from the bottom so you don't have to touch a dirty cup at all.  Just press the button on the side and releases all the debris.  It switches from floors to carpet with a flick of a switch.  The attachments are amazing regarding picking up fur and hair from the furniture.  It is a great vacuum which makes me actually enjoy vacuuming!

3. That it is my favorite season....SUMMER.  I wish I could press pause and just bask in the time of year where things seem to be a little more light-hearted and not so hectic.  If I could live somewhere where it is summer all year I would do it in a heartbeat (provided I didn't have to worry about money or finding a new job).  Today is not exactly the picture perfect poster day of a summer day, but knowing there are days where I wear flip flops and a tank top and let the sun pour down on me.  Those are the days I long for.  And driving at dusk with the windows down, watching the sunset and turning the sky into a beautiful watercolor painting.

4. Marathon Grill in Philadelphia.  This was a place we stumbled across while my mom was in the hospital in Philly.  It has great ambiance (slightly industrial but intimate at the same time).  The food there was amazing.  I had this burger that was to die for.  I am not a big meat person, but based on the description of the burger: marathon burger 8oz.
Vermont cheddar, caramelized onions, apple wood smoked bacon,
homemade bbq sauce on brioche bun 11.
or choose up to three toppings:
swiss, sharp provolone, vermont cheddar, sautéed mushrooms,
caramelized onions, roasted peppers, homemade bbq sauce, spicy mayo,
blue cheese dressing, applewood smoked bacon.

I had it without the carmelized onions.  It was smokey and juicy and the cheese was just full of flavor.  One night I had the hand cut fries with it and I swear they where the best fries I have ever had.  They are also one of the few places to serve TeaNY teas.  TeaNY teas are made by Moby.  They are awesome.  I had white tea with pomegranate.  If you are in the Philly area make sure you put this on your list as a restaurant to eat at.

5. Decorating blogs.  I love perusing decorating blogs.  Since having a house now to decorate I feel somewhat decor challenged.  With the opportunities endless how to decorate it makes it so much harder. Picking the right paint color, the right window treatments, rugs, carpet, counter tops.  I guess there is no right or wrong but preference on taste.  I have always attempted something only to learn after the fact I don't like it and need to try something else.  Which is great in some things, but concerning household decor could become rather expensive.  Checking out The Nest I have found a lot of links to decorating blogs.  Some of my favorites are: Apartment Therapy (even though it is geared for apartment living, there are great ideas for small spaces and decorating), Young, House, Love, Better After, and The DIY Showoff.  These are all very helpful giving ideas for home decorating, organizing and giving new life to your space.

6. TV. I know not the most healthiest activities, but always a great way to "get away" for a little bit.  I love The Middle.  If you have not seen this show, you really have to give it a chance!  It is on ABC on Wednesday's with Patricia Heaton and Janitor from Scrubs (another one of my fav shows...RIP).  The whole ensemble of the cast is really incredible.  There is there youngest son Brick, who has a bit of a social awkwardness about him.  Whenever he is nervous he will whisper a word to himself {himself}.  This usually causes no harm until he is one of the last contestants left for the spelling bee.  He whispers the last letter to himself, which disqualifies him as the winner.  Then there is Sue who is the middle child who just seems to have everything go wrong, but still has the most upbeat spirit about her.  Finally there is Axl who is their teenage son who sounds like Napoleon Dynamite and never seems to wear clothes (only his underwear).  This is probably one of the few shows I pretty much try to see every episode of.  Also Being Erica.  This a dramedy on SoapNET.  Love this station for its reruns of Beverly Hills 90210, One Tree Hill, The OC.  Being Erica is a Canadian show that airs on this channel.  It is about a 30something who is single and still trying to find her place in the world.  She sees a therapist who gives a different dose of therapy.  Dr. Tom is able to send her back to her past to learn from her mistakes.  It is a show  that even though can't happen in real life, is a show you can relate to. 

7. My hair.  I recently got my haircut from this lady my coworker recommended to me.  I had just moved to this area and my old hairstylist is now about an hour away.  And that hasn't stopped me in the past to go the distance for a haircut, but i have decided, I am probably going to live here for a while, I might as well start finding services a little closer to home.  This lady that my coworker recommended actually comes to your house to cut and color your hair.   She is pretty reasonable as well.  I mean you are not getting the 5 star treatment of a luxury spa (you have to wash your hair yourself in the kitchen sink) but it is definitely a great cut and color for the price.  My hair has been very blah the past few years.  I haven't been very daring.  Getting a trim, long layers and that is about it.  I figured if I am going to experiment this is the lady to do it with (ok after reading this, could be taken out of context, but I am talking hair people!!!!)  So I told her I wanted something different.  I asked if bangs would be a good look, she said NO.  She hates bangs, loathes them.  Thinks people with small foreheads such as myself will drown in bangs.  Fine I say do something to spice up my hair.  Well she gave me very short side swept bangs (they are really bangs if you ask me). At first I thought what did i just agree to.  What have I done?  But a few days later, I am loving the bangs.  It softens up my look a lot. I feel they are fun and flirty.  Found my go to haircut!

8. That I am getting up earlier than I used to.  Trust me, I like my sleep, but I also like for the day to last longer (speaking more of the weekend days as opposed to weekdays).  I am finally feeling like an adult and getting up early on the weekends.  And it is nice to have been up for a few hours already accomplished a lot and for it to be only 11am.  I am very happy that is now coming more natural to me then it used to.

9. Freebies.  I love utilizing sites like Ebates, E-rewards, Swagbucks, MyPoints, My Coke Rewards, and getting gift cards for free from my credit cards.  And yes they are free to me since I always pay my balance off every month.  I am the customer credit card companies hate.  I love getting $50 gift cards to Target or to my favorite restaurant.  Ebates you get a rebate on stuff you buy online if you go through their site.  E-rewards are surveys sent to you where you accumulate E-reward money you can use towards free magazines, etc.  Swagbucks is a search engine where random things you search for may win you "SwagBucks" that you can redeem for gift cards or magazines.  MyPoints is an email you get daily and if you just click on it you get points.  After you accumulate a certain amount of points you can trade them in for gift cards.  And My Coke Rewards is collecting points on Coke products.  I always trade mine in for magazines as well.  I have fully researched all of these and all are completely legit.  I just recommend setting up a separate email account for stuff like this (even for other promotions on websites, etc.) for spam purposes.

10. Getting back in touch with people I have "lost" touch with.  I have found some people through facebook that I haven't spoken to since elementary school.  I had this really great friend in elementary school who moved away and I was so unhappy about it.  Back then we didn't have the tools we have today to keep in touch, so I never saw or heard from her again.  Well a few weeks ago I thought let me look her up on facebook.  I found her!  I sent her a message ( I always try to send a message to someone I "friend" on facebook, I feel it is more personal then just sending a friend request), and she wrote back about her life and everything.  It was so exciting to talk to her after all these years.  She doesn't live too far away and we plan on meeting up.  I would love that.  She too says she is looking for more "girl friends" to hang with.  She is a met fan I see but I think I can get over that :)  There has been a lot of my friends over the years I have gotten back in touch with and are closer now then ever.  I had reconnected with a few people at my high school reunion.  I really like connecting with people and broadening my circle of friends.