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. 

Moving quote: "(500) Days of Summer"

When I heard this quote I definitely thought about it and realize that life just kind of moves forward and doesn't have those grandiose gestures that we are looking for or see in movies...

"Most days of the year are unremarkable. They begin, and they end, with no lasting memories made in between. Most days have no impact on the course of a life."



I highly recommend this movie.  I wanted to see it just for the name of the title as I love anything summer.  I knew it was probably about spending time with someone named Summer, but I didn't care.  I love Zooey Deschanel (who's sister is in House btw for a little trivia) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who was in 10 Things I Hate About You).  Their chemistry on screen is great.  This story is told in a timeline for the most part with parts jumping in the past and coming back to the present.  It sounds like it might sound very jumpy but it totally works.  It basically goes through the journey and the small minute details that make up the relationship of Summer and Tom.

My advice for this week, go check out this movie!

I promise myself I wouldn't...

I promise myself I wouldn't write another ranting blog for a while.  However, it has been one of those weeks, so the ranting has been penned up and it must come out! 

Everything just is bothering me, and it all started this week.  This week has been particularly difficult at work.  The morale is low.  We are all bitching to each other about the atmosphere.  And just realizing that why am I in the situation I am in.

So these are my rants for this week:

• When ordering blinds, why does it jump from 23" w to 27" w.  I need 26" in width.  Now it is going to cost me a lot more money to buy custom blinds.
• Bath and Body works discontinuing 2 pack wallflowers and scents that I like.  They are discontinuing Sea Island Cotton and Sensual Amber.  There are a lot more scents they are discontinuing, but those two are the ones that stick out.  They will continue to sell single bulb wallflowers, and maybe eco-friendly, but is certainly not wallet friendly.  One bulb is $6, and they hardly ever go on sale.
• Not getting any return phone calls from my doctors.  My temporary general doctor needs to see my progress on a medication I have been on since 2005.  Really?  Just so you can see me for five minutes, charge me a $20 co-pay only to write out the prescription wrong.  Granted my prescription plan is horrible now; the script has to written out in 90 day increments, or it will be more expensive if it is written out for 30 days. I told my doctor this and didn't check when I left only to be told when filling my prescription.  I don't know why he can't write it out for a year.  He wrote out for 5 months. Why???  So I called the office today to let him know he needs to rewrite the script out but I won't hold my breath waiting for a callback.  Same with my Gynecologist.  I need to find a replacement but for the time being I need her to provide me with the prescription she was supposed to write me back for my annual in April.  She gave me the samples, but not the script.  Well I am coming close to using up my samples and call her to let her know I need the script she never provided, only to not get a callback after leaving two messages.  
• To micro-managing.  Instead of telling us that there things to do even though we are completely swamped, why not pitch in and be a team player.
• About people who don't want to do their job.  We are the front line so deal with every nut, crazy, stupid, and clueless person.  When someone calls and requests to speak to someone specifically and when you call them to let them know, and they hem and haw before taking the call.  God forbid you might have to lift a finger and do your job.
• About realizing I feel like I don't have a career direction.  I do but I am afraid I am not doing anything to be able to advance.  I am wondering where I can go from here???

I know there were more, but these are the ones just swirling around my head for the past few days.

Hopefully I will have something more cheerful to post 

Something you wish you hadn't done in your life

My friend had this as a title of one of her blog posts and I read it and my one thing is the same as hers, going to grad school when I did.  After graduating Monmouth, I worked in a corporate setting and quickly realized this is not the environment I wanted to be in for the rest of my working life.  In a previous post found here you can read about how I wanted to become a guidance counselor.

I don't regret the experience per say, as I met some great people in grad school.  I did really good in grad school, but looking back, I really didn't need to get a master's (which I haven't yet really gotten as of yet) in Higher Education.  I should have waited, or, gone ahead and done a master's in school counseling.  I am now stuck in limbo, trying to figure out what I want to do and be able to move forward and accomplish that.  Do I really feel like going back and doing more schooling, not really.  But if I want to go into school counseling, that is the only way i can achieve that.  And that is something I need to decide soon, as I am not getting any younger.

Product Fail

I know a lot of my posts involve hair products.  I am trying to find something to cooperate with my hair.  The latest product I have tried is Tresseme Climate Control Shampoo and Conditioner. Since using this I have had nothing but cotton candy hair.  It is supposed to help protect hair against humidity, static, and knotting caused by wind.  Well I think what it does is it emphasizes each of those hair issues.  I feel like my hair is getting bigger as I write this.  Still on the search for a hair product to help, not clownify my hair.

Fandango 2 tickets for $9

This is a great deal! I got it the first time and they are offering it again!  Don't pass this up!

http://livingsocial.com/deals/57725?ref=personalized-link-box-13408917&rpi=13408917

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.

Week 5

So I am going into week 5 of Weight Watchers.  At work we are doing Weight Watchers during our lunch for 12 weeks.  I have been very good at following for the most part.  I do have problems getting in the daily oils and dairy. I do try however by putting olive oil on some of my foods or dipping a light piece of bread in olive oil.  I have been really good at tracking my points, eating my points as well as my flex points.  Depending on your weight you have a daily target of points to "eat" as well as weekly allotted points to eat.  You also earn points if you do exercise.  I must admit I wish I was doing more exercise then I have been.  But when it is nice out I do go for a long power walk. 

Since week one I have lost all but 1 lb.  YES, you read that correctly, 1 lb.  What am I doing wrong?  I don't know.  I am eating more healthy I think.  I feel I am making much better choices.  I am not as hungry, don't snack as often, and even have given up soda.  So why is it I have only lost 1 lb.?  I don't know.  I am going to print out my food tracker for my next meeting for our leader to take a look at after our meeting so she can give me suggestions or tell me what I am doing wrong.  I do notice my pants are fitting better, and I am able to fit into some pants I haven't been able to in some time.  So, what is my fat moving from one place to another?  I am not sure.  But I thought after 5 weeks I would have much more to be happy about that losing just 1 lb. 

Have you tried to lose weight and have been successful? 

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?

The Balancing Act

I want to know how one does it?  Currently I don't have any children; It is just Jeff and myself; and also taking care of my mom a lot (she doesn't live with us, but I spend most weekends with her) and I don't get anything done.  I get home from work and I feel drained.  I try to get a room cleaned, Jeff makes dinner most of the time, I clean up and then we "try" to do some kind of exercise...lately we have been taking walks around our neighborhood when the weather is okay, and by the time we get back it is time for bed. But there is so much more still to do.  I don't know how people have time to make these meals from scratch, keep a very tidy house, and have kids on top of it.  I know we have a slight disadvantage of not having a lot of weekend time to ourselves, but still.  I guess having that weekend time to run errands, clean the house, make meals for the week is really crucial.  I just wish I had an extra day to get all the stuff done. But I guess if I had that extra day, I would still need an extra day.  I guess everyone could use that extra day.