Vichy’s Idealia #VichyIdealists #LifeproofSkin #sponsored @vichyUSA

I recently had the opportunity to evaluate a new skincare option from Vichy, a luxury beauty brand.  Vichy has been around for a number of years and I have used there products from time to time, along with other brands.  Vichy created something novel, a Life Serum to help "undo" some of our poorer health and beauty choices that impact our skin. Let's be realistic, you can't expect to never exercise, drink up a storm of sugary beverages, scarf fast food and sweets and then hope the new product, Vichy Idealia is going to correct it all.  They do suggest that you CAN stray from perfection from time to time, and enjoy life when you use Idealia.

 

I received a challenge for 8 days to live my life to the fullest. Permission to eat that extra cookie, stay out late, and even have an extra Mojito. I vowed to just use Idéalia Life Serum twice daily to see my skin quality transform even with the little bit of bad behavior. The company is confident that I have Vichy’s #LifeproofSkin assurance that I will still see a transformation in skin quality in 8 days. 

I am ready and I got started as soon as possible. I had a busy weekend and one night I only got three hours sleep. I have been applying my Idealia every day. I am impressed so far because my skin looks really good.  Usually after a no-sleep night I look pretty pathetic. 

The best part of all is that I got to include 5 friends in the challenge, too. My friend Jen was so excited about it she said she had to try it immediately.  She said she was desperate for something new. She was impressed with how it smelled and how smooth her skin felt after applying it. She looked closely at my face and said, "Girl, you look good. How many days have you been using this stuff?" I laughed and told her I was on day 3.  She said she hoped her skin would look as good as mine in 3 days.  Barb tried it and sighed as soon as it touched her face.  She said, "This feels really nice.  My skin feels great."  We were talking this week and she said her skin looks so much smoother and fresher.

Fast forward one week. I have to say I am pretty impressed with the results. I have been using Idealia twice a day and my skin looks pretty darned good. A big improvement from a week ago. It is easy to use and it does keep your skin moisturized and gives it a bit of a glow. I plan on picking some up so I can get on the long term Idealia plan and keep my skin looking lovely every single day.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Triscuit Brown Rice and Sweet Potato SnackRecipe #TeamTriscuit @Crowdtap

Disclosure: I was recently chosen to participate in a Triscuit recipe event through Crowdtap.  I received no compensation other than a contest entry. I shared this information from Crowdtap in order to provide my own unbiased review with my friends and readers.  As always, the opinions here are my own. 

Have you seen all the new kinds of Triscuit crackers that are out there in the stores? It has been almost a year now that all these amazing new flavors have come out. Triscuit has some totally out there varieties and they are really good from Wasabi and Soy to Rosemary and Sea Salt and these yummy ones I used today. I have made my way through all of them at this point.  I must say each one is more delicious than the other. My whole family agrees!  Triscuits are a healthy snack on their own or with fun toppings. Take a peek at their ingredient list if you don't believe me. Surprisingly clean.

I recently made a fun snack with Triscuit Brown Rice and Sweet Potato...it came out delicious.  It is elegant enough to serve to guests or you can enjoy it on your own. 

Manchego Triscuit Surprise

2 Triscuits

Manchego sliced 

Grapes

Quince paste 

Put a bit of quince paste on both Triscuits then top with Manchego and grapes. Enjoy!   

pureSOL White Konjac Sponge Review

I really like to limit chemicals and parabens on my skin. At night, I want my face super clean so the creams and lotions can penetrate though.  I recently tried something new that really works. pureSOL Konjac Sponge is complete natural free of any chemicals. It cleans your skin really well and is very gentle. 

This is not your moms washcloth.  pureSOL Konjac Facial Sponge comes dry like a hard loofah. You just soak the sponge in a bowl of water for several minutes until it is soft and you will see the sponge transform. A wonderful natural facial sponge!  Just so you know you should never use your Konjac Sponge when dry.  It is made from 100% Natural Konac Fiber and water. That's it. 

I look forward to washing my face...so easy. I soak it for a minute until it is soft then I just massage gently in a circular motion on my face. Sometimes I use a little cleanser but you don't need to.  

If you use your fave cleanser, you can apply a fraction of your normal amount. You see, the sponge will generate more bubbles and you need a lot less.  I love the $avings! I always rinse the sponge and press it gently to squeeze it out. Then I hang the sponge on the enclosed hook to get some air and dry. I have been using it for a week or so and my skin looks great and feels very clean. 

The company recommends that you replace the sponge every 2-3 months. You can even compost it. To extend the life of your pureSOL Konjac Sponge they recommend keeping it in refrigerator if you live in a hot or humid climate. PureSol has shared that the sponge can also be sterilized every couple of weeks by boiling it in water or popping it in the microwave for one minute. The better you take care of your sponge the longer it will last.

You can find this great white Konjac Facial Sponge right on Amazon. 

Smiley360 Build-a-Bear Workshop Mission plus a coupon for $5 of a $25purchase @smiley360 @buildabear

Disclosure:  I received a complimentary $40 giftcard to Build-A-Bear Workshop through Smiley 360. As always, my opinions are my own.

What could be more exciting than a trip to the local Build-A-Bear Workshop at the mall? Not much!  My daughter was so excited when I told her that we were going to be able to go and she could choose from several amazing new categories of bears including a My Little Pony, Disney Princess Palace Pets or Superhero Bear. It was hard to decide between the Superhero Bears too between Batman, Superman and Spider-Man. I was surprised that there weren't any female Superhero Bears though. That would be a great addition to the collection. I always loved Wonder Woman. The other collections have female bears so hoping the female Superhero Bear is coming soon.  If you have never gone, you have to know that each visit to the Build-A-Bear Workshop is an entire exciting experience, plus you get to create and go home with a BFF bear of your choice.

Miss M decided that she was going to choose one of the Superhero Bears even before we got to the store. Once we arrived we were greeted by a friendly, young female associate. She was warm and chatted with my daughter. She directed us to the Superhero Bears and let us know she was there to help.  We took a few minutes to look around the store and check out all the new bears and accessories. She finally decided on the Batman bear. We chose a bear and located the matching black cape outfit. We debated over the shoes but decided against them since her other Build-A-Bears at home didn't have shoes. She didn't want them to get jealous!  

The sales associate brought us over by the filling machine and asked Miss M to choose a little red heart from the bin to place inside her bear. There is a whole ritual that the kids get to do with the heart before it goes inside the bear.  She started smiling when the associate gave her the instructions.  She totally remembered it from the other visits. It is very cute and you know how children love those rituals.

We had noticed there was a sound machine option but I think it wasn't available for her Batman bear since we didn't see it.  If it was available for your bear, you could choose a corresponding sound by touching the screen and hearing the sound. I think then they are able to make your bear execute that sound by inserting something into it by the paws. A cute idea...hopefully they will get it for the SuperHero Bears soon. 

So, Miss M followed the nice associates instructions with all the heart rituals before she placed it inside the bear.  So sweet! She then directed Miss M to step on the pump for the machine to help the bear fill up with stuffing. Boy, he filled up super fast.  Batman bear was then properly sewn up. Miss M loved the whole process. It's funny, she is getting older but not too old to still enjoy Build-A-Build.  Bears are fun for kids of all ages really. 

Off to the bath at this point. The associate sent us over to give Batman Bear a little bath. It was so cute. Great for the little ones to understand you must wash up before getting ready each day. 

The next stop is the dressing area.  It even has a mirror.  She had a lot of fun with that and had Batman Bear dancing away on the table after he as all dressed as the cape crusader bear.  

We moved on to create his little birth certificate and choose a name. We had the option to provide our information so that the bear could find his way home if he ever got lost (hotels, airplanes, hiking...you never know!) She named her new bear Bat Bear.  She proudly toted him over to the register and asked for a home for him (a cute box with windows). The same nice female associate checked us out at the register. She was kind to my daughter and even asked her if she had started school yet and how it was going so far. We both left with big smiles on our faces. I have to say it is a special experience that is more than just that. The kids create a special friend that they can have forever so you have to consider that in the price. For about $40, she had such an amazing time.  She has been playing with that bear all week and showing him off to all her friends.  

If you are not familiar with Smiley360, you should get familiar with them. If you'd like to join Smiley360, you can do it right here. I have been a member for a number of years now.  I have gotten to review some amazing products over the years by accepting "missions" from luxurious beauty products, frozen Greek yogurts, brand name cleaning items, leading brand adult and children's medications like pain relievers and nausea remedies, gummy vitamins and more. Its all fun and interesting because sometimes I find things that I really love that I didn't know about before. I get to share my honest experiences via my blog and social networks too.  This Build a Bear Workshop mission was one of the most rewarding and fun!

Smiley360 and Build-A-Bear even included a special something for my readers and followers in my mission packet this time. A coupon HERE  for $5 off $25 at any Build-A-Bear Workshop just for you. Let me know what kind of bear YOU choose and share the fun with friends.