L’Oreal Paris Magic BB Cream Beautiful

I have been a dedicated Cover Girl foundation user for as long as I can remember.  As a matter of fact I think when I first started wearing make-up as a teenager my sister bought me my first Cover Girl liquid foundation.  Now I’ve gone back and forth between liquids and powders during that time (at least 15 years) I’ve pretty much stayed with that brand unless put in a position where I had to buy something else.  But I have to say over the last couple years I haven’t been as impressed with the coverage, perhaps because my skin is changing and aging.  I’ve been seriously considering trying some new products and finding something that worked with my skin better.

So I was very excited when Shespeaks asked me if I would like to try out L’Oreal Paris’ Magic Skin Beautifying BB Cream.  I thought this was an excellent opportunity to try something new.  Now I’ve seen the commercials on tv and in magazines for BB Cream but really I didn’t know much about it.  There was something about micro beads and matching my skin tone but again I hadn’t  paid close enough attention to how that could work.  Again from my previous experience I’d always had to go through zillions of compacts and liquids in the store trying to find the closest match to my skin color so I couldn’t understand how picking from 3 or 4 shades (dramatically different shades I might add) could possibly match me when I put it on.  But I went to the programs homepage on Shespeaks and did just that.  I picked the Light one because the first one seemed way way to light and the last two were very much too dark.  So having done that, I crossed my fingers for a few weeks while waiting for it to arrive.

About a week and a half ago my L’Oreal Paris BB Cream was in my mailbox when I came home from work.  I decided I’d wait til the next morning to try it out since usually after work I just want a nice shower, fix dinner for my fiancé and me, and then flake out together before bed.  I was very tempted though to try it even that night to see what all the hub bub was about.  But the very next morning when I opened that tube for the first time and squeezed a small amount on my finger to start my morning make-up routine I was skeptical.  The cream was pure white with these little dots of green floating in it.  I couldn’t imagine how it could possibly be considered a primer or foundation.  It had no color!  But I stuck it out and started rubbing the cream onto my face finding that it spread very easily and to my surprise the thinnest of layers did indeed act as a foundation.  As I was rubbing it was as if a tint started to develop and it did indeed match my skin tone perfectly.  To say I was shocked was an understatement.  The little green specks I first noticed are the BB Cream’s self adjusting beads that instantly transformed to my skin.  It was amazing.  My blemishes were virtually invisible under this product. 

So I’ve been using the BB Cream everyday since that first one and have been pleasantly surprised.  I can completely understand why this product claims to be formulated to prime, perfect, hydrate and correct skin.  It really does do all that.  I’ve found that even when I removed my make up at the end of the day my skin is more even toned and smoother to the touch.  The cream does to clog up pores and cause me to break out which is something I was really afraid of.  I would certainly agree that it improves a person’s skin without leaving it oily or dry or rough…. it’s AWESOME.  So that is that…. I’ve decided to make the switch.  Goodbye Cover Girl (and possibly all foundations, liquid or powder) and hello L’Oreal Paris BB Cream!!!!  I love it!

 

Out with the Old... In with the New

As you can see I haven't posted much in the last few weeks.  Thats not because I don't have anything to say but more because I've been enjoying my time off from work for the holidays.  I've spent the last 10 days going out and playing in the snow as much as possible in this beautiful backcountry. 

But rest assured there will be much to look forward to in the upcoming months as we ring in the new year with new products to try and events to participate in.  I want to wish all my readers a very Happy New Year with lots of love, blessings, and good things to come!

Stella Artois and the Mighty Chalice!

Coming from rural Montana means that you are typically a beer drinker.  While I'm not one of those people that drink it like water I do enjoy a good brew.  My fiance introduced me to Stella Artois a few years ago after telling me that she couldn't stand seeing me drink another Bud Light and that I should expand my beer drinking horizons.  As with most things, she was right.  I'd been neglecting the yumminess that other beers can provide.  While she loves beers that are dark and robust like Guinness and Moose Drool (a local microbrew that is tasty despite its name) I still prefer the lighter ails like Blue Moon, IPA, and of course Stella Artios. 

So really I was pretty excited to get the Stella Artois Chalice in the mail from BzzAgent to see if all the hype was true.  Was drinking from a Chalice specifically designed to enhance the flavor of a beer really possible?  This was the question that was asked of me.  Frankly I'm a bottle drinker and occasionally will have a beer in a pint glass (again have to stick to manly methods of beer drinking) and really didn't think that the shape of a glass would make that much difference in the flavor of a beer.  Again my fiance tried to tell me that it really would change the flavor and even the smoothness of a beer much like letting a wine breath after opening a bottle makes a difference. I thought that maybe it change it slightly but it wouldn't be something that a rough neck like me would detect.  She was right AGAIN! A beer I already liked was made better. 

I followed the 9 Step pour to a T and had my first frosty chalice full of Stella Artois a couple days ago.  Somehow the shape of that glass, and the pour, allows for the beer to smooth out and become even lighter.  There was no bitterness at the end and it reminded me of the difference between a filtered and unfiltered microbrew.  So from now on, at home anyway, I'll be enjoying my beers in this chalice.  My only issue with it is that its not particularly manly so I probably wont be breaking it out with the majority of my friends around.  Although I did tell a bunch of them about it and I know a few of them are curious now too.  Maybe I'll be a trend setter!

Torani Syrups

A few weeks ago I was telling you about the amazing offer that Shespeaks has told me I was getting with two full sized bottles of Torani Syrups.  Well they came on Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) and I've been trying them out in various drinks and even desert recipes all weekend long.  Heck even now I'm drinking just some regular drip coffee with a splash of Torani's Gingerbread flavored syrup right now.

So when I first signed up for the Torani Holiday Cheers Contest I was informed that I'd get two 750ml bottles of Torani Syrup that would be along the lines of holiday flavored and I certainly wasn't disappointed when they arrived.  The first bottle is a sugar free Salted Carmel which I've been making latte's and italian sodas with over the weekend.  I also drizzled a little bit in a frosting that I made to cover a mocha cake I made yesterday and the results were fantastic.  The frosting had a perfect hint of Carmel that just made the cake that much better.  I love that Torani has such a variety of sugar free syrups because I have family members that are diabetic and its hard to find items that are sugar free, especially ones with such creative flavors. 

The second bottle I received was Gingerbread flavor and I have to say I've been loving this one.  Its a nice spicy sweet that puts a bit of a kick in my espresso in the morning.  Torani nailed this Gingerbread flavor but more than anything its the aroma it gives off.  To me the smell of gingerbread in the house is a memory from my childhood in the weeks before Christmas and Torani's Gingerbread syrup brings me right back to those happy thoughts.  We had several couples over for a dinner party last night and my best friend and I were mixing white russians for everyone and we put a little bit of the Gingerbread syrup in the mix just to make it different and everyone loved it. 

I was also really excited that in my Torani package from Shespeaks I received a booklet from Torani with a bunch of drink recipes to try, though the recipes used syrup flavors that I didn't have.  But Torani thought ahead on that one too and sent along 5 coupons for me to use as well as a 10% off discount code I can use when I order more syrups from Torani.com.  I can't wait to get some of the fruit flavored syrups to make some amazing lemonades and iced teas and of course in the summer some awesome margaritas.  There is just so much a person can do with these syrups and if you have the opportunity to give it a try be sure to share your ideas with me.  Maybe we'll have a Torani syrup mixology party in the near future!

******This Post is sponcered by Torani Syrups and Shespeaks.******

G Collection from Gold Toe- a post from TP

I was extremely excited when Bzz Agent told me I was going to be one of the few agents to get products from the new G Collection from Gold Toe brand.  Most of the time I'm the kind of guy that is wearing work boots out in the woods so my socks just have to be warm and very very durable.  But every once in a while I get a wild hair to take Tracy, my fiance, out on the town and we both dress up.  Frankly I have very few nice dressy (Sunday Best quality) clothes, but even fewer dressy socks.  I usually end up wearing a pair of athletic socks with my dress shoes which just looks tacky.  But now with my G Collection socks I'm in a whole new zone.

Now my future father in law wore the original Gold Toe socks for years, both for dress socks and then they make a really durable crew sock too. But I had never tried them before.  When I got my Bzz Kit I was impressed with the range of colors and patterns available to try out.  Of course there was a pair of plain black dress socks but the other 5 were tastefully striped, checked, and otherwise patterned in greys, blacks, navy blue, and tan.  All the typical colors of my dress slacks.  They were just my style.  A little fun and funky without going to wild extremes though from looking at the G Collection online there are some pretty outrageous ones to chose from too if a person would so desire.  I tried them out immediately and loved how soft they were and how they didn't bunch at all in my shoes or ride down my calf as I walked throughout the day.  I never had to pull them up or straighten them out like I do my regular socks.  Also the seam in the toe is virtually undetectable so my toes didn't rub against the socks funny in my dress shoes that are of course my most uncomfortable shoes I own (just not used to wearing them).

In my BzzKit I also got 6 pairs of G Collection boxers to try out.  I've never been a huge fan of boxers because of how rough they always are and when I opened these ones up I was afraid I was going to run into the same problem.  Tracy suggested running them through the wash a time or two before making my final decision and of course she was right.  After putting them all through one wash and dryer cycle the fabric softened right up and they are sooooooo comfortable.  Unlike other boxers I've worn they don't rub funny or bunch in my trousers which are the major downfall of most boxers I've ever tried out.  Again these came in some great colors and patterns.  I've noticed that Tracy started wearing a pair of them for pj shorts too so I might have to hide them. 

My BzzKit also included about 100 $5 off coupons and I've been handing them out left and right to all my buddies at work.  They might not want the dress socks but the under ware and t-shirts certainly are great and I'm hoping they'd like to give them a try.  Of course I kept a few coupons for myself too so I can shop at Kohl's in Spokane and pick up a few more socks.

Coming Soon....

So I know I haven't been posting much on here lately but that's because I'm a busy woman with other stuff going on too so blogging isn't the highest priority in the world.  But the good news is that when I do have the extra time (and something to say) I do actually write something.  Since my Glade Expressions Collection BzzCampaign I hadn't been invited to participate in anything new in the last month but in the last week I got several invitations so I should have a lot of good stuff to talk about in the very near future.

Here is the sneak peak at the products I'm getting to try out during this holiday season...
1. Torani flavored coffee syrups:  Now this is right up my ally.  As many of you may know, I'm a bit of a coffee addict.  Its an addiction I wear proudly and am certainly not ashamed of.  I'm among the first to try out new and creative flavored coffees and dark roasts when I see them in the coffee isle at the store.  I'm particularly guilty of this when seasonal coffees come out.  And lucky me, Torani is working with Shespeaks and I'm getting two full bottles of their newest Holiday/Seasonal syrups to try.  When I agreed to participate in this particular program I got the choice of 2 regular syrups, 2 sugar free syrups, or 1 reg/1 sugar free syrup and the company would select at random which Holiday flavors I'd get.  I'm super excited about this and choose the 1 reg/1 sugar free option so I'd be able to share with all my friends when they come over (I have a few friends that are diabetic and don't want to send them into sugar rush coma).  Torani has some spectacular flavors and though I don't know which ones I'll be getting the possibilities include: Almond Roca, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, Butter Rum, Carmel Apple, Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Gingerbread, Creme DeMinth, Shortbread, Cheesecake, and Italian Eggnog syrups (all of which are in the sugar free varieties too).  How exciting is that!!???

2.  G^® Collection from Gold Toe:  Now this campaign is through the fabulous BzzAgent and its not actually for me to try out but for my loving fiance, Mace to give a go.  My dad was a big fan of the original Gold Toe products and I'm sure that the new G Collection will be just a new twist on a great line of products. This particular BzzKit includes: 1 pack of G Collection underwear or undershirts, 6 pairs of G Collection socks, and tons of coupons for the G Collection line of products to use and share with my friends.  Who can beat a deal like that? If you are interested already in this line here are some useful links to go check out.

• www.GoldToe.com
• Facebook.com/GoldToe
• Twitter.com/GOLDTOE

3.  Eukanuba Dog Food:  Last but not least Cassie our wonder Dalamation also gets something to try out this month.  Again this is a BzzAgent Campaign so it includes a lot of great stuff such as : A 20 lb bag of any Eukanuba dog food,  a flash drive that contains info on doggie dental health, chew toys, treats, and of course coupons for future Eukanuba products.  Now my dog is kind of a fussy eater so it will be interesting to see if she likes Eukanuba or how it affects her skin, coat, and old dog hips.  But I'm sure she'll enjoy the chew toys and doggie treats.

So that's the skinny for right now.  These all should be coming in the mail to me within the next few weeks so I'll be sure to keep this up to date with the latest news about these products and post any online coupons or savings codes I get.  In the mean time... I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday preparations!

Glade Expressions(R) Collection

It is truly amazing how certain smells can trigger fabulous memories or transport you to a glorious spot.  Its even better when you walk through your front door and those are things you first encounter.  A couple weeks ago BzzAgent gave me the opportunity to participate in a new Glade campaign and try out their Glade Expressions(R) Collection.  I of course was thrilled at this since I'm always burning candles and using plug ins in my house to transform it from just plain house smell to something wonderful.  Please don't think that plain house smell is bad... its just not anything to rave about.  So after letting BzzAgent know I'd love to participate in this campaign I had to wait a couple weeks to receive my BzzKit which included a coupon for a free Glade Expressions Mist Fragrance and a Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser.

As soon as I got my Bzzkit I drove into town, a mighty 120 miles away and went to my "local" Walmart to pick out my new Glade gear.  I was so excited to try out some new fragrances but also wanted to pick something that I new I would really love.  I'm a sucker for anything apple so I got the Oil Diffuser with Glade's new Fuji Apple & Cardamom fragrance.  Then in the Mist I picked the Pineapple & Mangosteen fragrance.  I also bought that one in the oil too so I could trade out my oil diffuser.  Thought I would mix it up a bit. 

So with my new Glade products in tow I made my way back home as quickly as possible to try it out.  OH MY GOODNESS was I so happy.  I first tried the Pineapple one and was quickly transported to a tropical paradise.  It is fruity, sweet and has a nice underlying coconut fragrance to it that made me think of laying on a beach with a pina colada in my hand (not a bad thought).  I loved how when I'd step out of my house for a while and come back in after a few hours how I was greeted with this fragrance but not overwhelmed by it at all.  When it says diffuse it means it!  The fragrances just subtly floats around the house without being overpowering or thick.  I also loved that the oil diffuser was stylishly made... kind of funky and Asian without being any kind of eyesore.  Right now I'm using the Fuji Apple & Cardamom oil and love it even more because the weather around here has definitely turned to something very fall and these are the kinds of smells I associate with the season.  Again its sweet and a little spicy which makes me think of spiced apples at Thanksgiving or homemade mulled cider.  When I come in from the cold the fragrance warms me up and takes me back to my childhood. 

I have yet to try my Pineapple & Mangosteen mist yet because I've been so enthralled with my diffuser but I'll definitely let you know what I think about it.  I know I already love the smell so I'm sure it will be a positive experience.  So if you guys love having your house smell great (and really who doesn't want that) be sure to try out Glades Expression Collection.  There are several other fragrances to choose from and I know you'd find one to fit your particular style just as I did.  Be sure to check out my facebook page because I posted a $2 off coupon for the mist and $4 off coupon for the oil diffuser.  Just love passing on the savings to you guys.