Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear Makeup

I received this product for free from Bzz Agent, and I'm really glad that I did!

Bzz Agent provides free (or at a heavy discount) products in return for a review from people like you and me.  It involves posting to websites, social media, etc...

I was really excited when I was invited to the Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear Makeup (Foundation) campaign!  I don't have a real big-girl foundation, I normally use BB cream or BareMinerals if I need more coverage.

Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear Makeup

It evened out my skin tone beautifully, and I love the velvety finish. It did not quite last the 12 hours promised, but a few spot touch-ups after 8 hours kept it going strong all night. 


For all the following pictures, I have zero makeup on (except lip gloss).  I applied a thin coat of foundation with my damp Beauty Blender.

Before

After

Classic Ivory was a great match for my skin tone and it looked and felt natural. I wish it wasn't so hard to get the product out of the bottle, though! A pump would be perfect for this foundation. It's not that thick, so the trouble getting it out of the bottle is deceptive.

Before

After

I have normal skin, but I'm very fair and have freckles. This foundation was light on my skin, yet provided medium, buildable coverage. Even with a thin coat, as in the above pictures, you can see how much it evened out my redness.

I did not expect to like this foundation as much as I do. Like I said, I normally use BB cream, but this has been my go-to every morning since I received it. The sun protection is a bonus!

I'm very, very happy with this foundation. It makes me look like I'm wearing a better version of my own skin, which is all you can ask for!  It may not work for everyone, but I'm really glad I found it, and that it is available at drugstores!

No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. I received this product for free from Bzz Agent.  

Tone Bath and Body Wash Review

This is another product I got for free from BzzAgent.  It was sent to me for free in exchange for honest reviews on various web and social media sites.

Tone Petal Soft Bath and Body Wash

This is Tone Bath and Body Wash in Petal Soft with Pink Peony and Rose Oil.  It is a Dial product.

My first impression was that this smelled like something I would find at Bath and Body Works.  It is heavily scented, and the product is a pink shimmery gel.  It lathered well and made my skin feel clean, but not particularly moisturized.  The ingredients did not really impress me, it was water and a lot of surfactants.

I think I will stick with buying my B&BW shower gels when they are on super-sale ($3!) instead of this.  Don't get me wrong, I will use it up, I just don't feel like it makes my skin soft enough.  It didn't dry me out at all, but if you are prone to very dry skin, I would avoid this.

No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. The item mentioned within was sent to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

Swaggable: Bombshell Big Hair Powder

I belong to a site called Swaggable which sends you new products to try out in exchange for a review on their site.  It is minimal effort and you get to try something new every now and then.  Not bad.

I put this hair powder on my wish list, and it was sent to me.  I've since seen this brand at Marshall's/TJ Maxx and drugstores.

Rock Your Hair Bombshell Big Hair Powder

I really wanted to like this product, and it did add a lot of volume to my roots.  However, it made my hair a little too sticky for my liking.  It was like powdered hairspray, if that makes any sense.  Sorry, no picture of the disaster that ensued.

If you like big hair, and/or teased hair, and/or bouffants/puffy styles, this might be for you.  It's definitely NOT a dry shampoo.  It does what it says, I just don't apparently need or want a product like this.

No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. The item in this post was received for free from Swaggable in exchange for an honest review.

Swaggable: Hemp Hearts

Swaggable is a website where you can request samples of various products from their current selection, and then provide an honest review and feedback on their site.  I've received a number of products from them, everything from a face mask to a protein bar.  You tell the site what you would like to try, and they also use your profile to choose samples for you.  

I recently received a sample of Hemp Hearts from Manitoba Harvest to try.

Hemp Hearts Pack, shipped in a plain white bubble envelope.

Close-up of the sample package

Hemp hearts!

I have never tried hemp hearts before, so I didn't know what to expect.  I figured I'd sprinkle them on top of food instead of trying them straight out of the bag.

Snack with hemp hearts

My snack was a piece of whole wheat toast spread with garlic hummus and avocado, sprinkled with salt, pepper, and hemp hearts.

OMG SO GOOD.

I ate the rest right out of the package and wished that there were more.  They taste like a combination of walnuts and sunflower seeds to me, and I love it.  I need to buy more of these ASAP.

These sell for $8.99 for 8 oz on the company's website.

This product was received free for review purposes.  No compensation was received and all opinions and thoughts are my own.  This post does not contain any referral links.

Influenster Lifeway Kefir Program, July 2013

This is the second time I've been selected to receive a product from Influenster!  This time, they sent me a coupon for a free product from Lifeway.

I used it to buy their Lowfat Pomegranate Kefir, which was on sale for $2.99 at my supermarket.  I found mine in the refrigerated organic section by the produce, with things like pre-made guacamole and salsa.  I think next time, I'd love to try some of their frozen products!

This was my I-am-too-hungry-to-make-it-to-dinner snack tonight ;)

This kefir has the consistency of a thick, drinkable yogurt.  Very smoothie-like.  It is a little tangy and a tiny bit bubbly, and totally delicious.  I'm going to bring some in a thermos for my breakfast tomorrow!  Sometimes I just don't feel like eating anything in the morning, ya know?  This is perfect.  Plus, it has probiotic bacteria to promote a healthy digestive system.  This is a much tastier way of getting the good bugs into you, rather than taking a big pill of them!

Disclaimer: I received this product for free from Influenster, however, all my opinions are my own and I am receiving nothing for this review, except hopefully more free items to review in the future.  It's just a darn good product and you shouldn't be afraid to try it!

Influenster Lifeway Kefir Program

Influenster Lifeway Kefir Program 

woohoo!

This is the second invitation I've gotten from Influenster! I received a VoxBox a few months ago. This time it is a stand-alone product. I'm excited! I actually really like kefir, but don't buy it often because it is a little pricey. Keep an eye out for my review. 

From the Lifeway website:

What is kefir? Kefir is a cultured probiotic beverage similar in taste and texture to drinkable yogurt, and made from milk fermented with kefir cultures. Originating over 2000 years ago in the Caucasus Mountains-where many people live well over 100 years-kefir has been associated with a long list of health benefits.

What is Influenster? 

This is a program that lets you share your reviews and opinions on products with the companies that provide them, as well as others. Learn more at their website. I have some invitations left if you would like to join!