Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Beauty Box 5 August 2016 Spa Day ...it is here! Lots of goodies too @beautybox5 #globalbeautycare #didhair #olivebeauties #vo5 #nikaskin #beautybox5

Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received the products for review purposes. The opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the products.


I love it....Beauty Box five has the fun beauty ideas for every day of the year whether it is spring, summer, fall or winter.  My little blue box from BB5 helps me manage to keep it all together at work and at home to freshen up my glam look no matter what the day holds for me.  BB5 shows you how you can squeeze in quality beauty time into even the days you gotta speed things along with a few little special products.  Check out all the trendiest of autumn fashions now that the long, hot days of summer are starting to fade! Don't forget to share your fave finds and share with friends too. Take a peek at a few beauty goodies to go along with your pretty fashions and maybe grab a few extra for friends. A BB5 subscription makes a great gift any friend would appreciate all year long.

Everyone loves getting the inside scoop. I like trying new beauty products from sunscreens to lipsticks and find that I often find new faves.  That is one of the great things about BB5.  You can try lots of new things and sub in new favorites without being stuck with a huge bottle of this or that. I happens to the best of us even with green intentions. Sometimes I look at a product in the store but I worry it might not be for me and I don't want to spend all that money if I don't know that I really like it.  Who needs something else to sit on the bathroom shelf or take up more room in a drawer? I would always feel guilty. Every once in a while you get lucky and the store has a sample or perhaps a beauty company sends you a sample and you get to try it first.  That is the premise behind BB5.

The ideal solution for all of us is brought to you by Beauty Box 5. They understand and created their great beauty sampling box program. Beauty Box 5 is an amazing subscription beauty box sampler that is delivered right to your doorstep (or mailbox) filled with a combination of 5 brand new cosmetic samples monthly, quarterly or annually. You can start out at just $12 a month or save more by getting a longer subscription. 

Signing up to receive Beauty Box 5 each month is a great new way for anyone from teens to moms and even a savvy fashionista Gramma to sample new cosmetic products and see what works for you. Good skin care and the joy of beauty has no age limit!  Each month they include tips and tricks for the products on the back of this little card below to help you get the most out of your beauty samples each month.


Beauty Box 5 is always on the lookout for the latest new items to make the best matches for your own personal taste and lifestyle.  The prices are reasonable too. You can get a Beauty Box 5 monthly for $12, quarterly for $30 or annually for just $99.  Shipping is always free.  A fun way to check out lots  of the new beauty stuff out there without a whole lot of $$ investment. The great part is that if you like something, you can just up and buy the full size item, right?  Much better than buying a full size you-know-what-beauty-item and paying a fortune and then it sits in the makeup bag gathering dust because it doesn't work for you.


Beauty Box 5 mixes it up with their brands and keeps things adventurous. They source from a mix of niche, luxe, regular drugstore, vegan and eco-conscious brands.  One month you might get hair care, nail care, makeup, skin care, fragrances or even beauty accessories or a mix of any of the above.  I love the suspense!  You will get a carefully curated blend of travel, full-size and deluxe samples from their most current collection.

I just received the August Spa Day Pampering in Progress box this week.  The August theme is all all about taking a little time for you. In between summer vacations and relaxing, squeeze in just a little touch of pampering for your skin and hair. Beauty Box 5 always has all the tools and tricks to help you look pretty from your head to your toes.  Okay, but just how do you get your hair, lips, eyes and nails looking just so? Let BB5 help you out! The team at Beauty Box 5 wants to remember you are it is all about taking care of yourself.  They show you just how to style your hair and eliminate the frizzies. They give you the tools to freshen up your nails super fast and glam them up with hot winter colors. This month the focus is on the skin and face. Beauty Box 5 is here with a ton of special treats to help you along the way.  Here is the scoop on the amazing treats that were in this month's sweet sea blue box:

As always, my box was filled with of lovely goodies that I could not wait to try. There were treats for my hands, face and body tucked in there this month.  There were several special items to keep me looking fresh and alluring wherever I go.  Even if it is far from home I will still be looking good with all my goodies stashed in my bag.


The first item in this box is a Nika Facial Exfoliating Brush. If you have been contemplating that pricey but ultra-expensive electric facial cleansing brush from the department store but not sure about the expense, this is the way to go. I have one, but they are not too travel friendly. I tried this one and I was impressed. I am pretty particular about my skin and I like this a lot. It provides a comparable cleansing experience without the big expense. This is a densely packed mini brush that is ideal for at home cleansing or for travel.  I find it only takes a minute each day in the evening before bed to make a big difference with clean skin.  Retail $17.00


After you clean your skin with your new facial brush, you can use this Global Beauty Care Retinol Treatment Mask. What is a spa day without a good mask? This excellent mask feels great on my skin and it made with my favorite ingredient, retinol. This is one of the best ingredients out there to soften expression lines and boost cell renewal. It is a cinch to use too--just apply to the face and neck areas and relax with a book or some music for 20 minutes.  The final step is just to massage to remove remaining serum into the face and neck. Summer calls for a little less makeup so good skin is so important.  Even when my days are long I can count on looking sophisticated and pretty after using this mask!  Retail: $7.50



Are you ready for your next spa beauty treatment?  Everyone needs Olive Natural Beauty Olive Natural Beauty Elixir. This is an all natural essential oil that can be used anywhere on your skin. It is like a daily vitamin for the skin! It is ultra versatile too since you can smooth it on after cleansing and using a mask or you can add a few drops to your daily moisturizer for an extra boost. I am all in favor of anything to contribute to a glowing complexion. This is a great sized product too since it fits right in my travel bag for pretty skin anywhere I go. Retail $36
 


VO5 Hot Oil Therapy Treatment is an oldie but goodie! This has been around forever and one of the reasons it endures is that it is an effective hair treatment. This is an easy way to detox dry, damaged and over processes hair in a minute or two. Even if you are short on time, your hair can be smooth and shiny with this quickie treatment. Remember how you place the unopened tube in hot water to warm it up? Still the same! Open that little magic tube and massage the warmed oil into wet hair and scalp, leave it in for 60 seconds and then shampoo and condition for shiny hair.  Retail $2.59.




Did. Hair Spa Day Hair Ties are an ideal way to manage hair on hot summer days. This is exactly what I need for the weekend away at the beach or up in the mountains. No worries about wind or rain when you have your hair securely tied back with these cute mane managers! I love how soft they are and very gentle on my hair. Say goodbye to creases and dents too. Style galore for day and night. Retail $6.50


There is a bonus item this month too--Rave Hair Spray in the 4X Mega with ClimaShield. Now the weather has been insanely humid and this is going to be super handy this week. This hairspray will hold your style rain or shine. 

So, are you ready to get in on the fun? The ladies from BB5 have put together another really amazing box full of beauty fun perfect to take you straight into spring and even summer. Don't forget to join Beauty Box 5 and get in on the goodies to keep you looking fab for all four seasons.


After you join, you can even spread your good fortune via Instagram and have an opportunity to win full-size versions of these products too! Don't forget to tag @beautybox5 and #bb5fave that way they know that it was you spreading the good tips and great products!










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.

Monday, August 1, 2016

Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend coffee tastes great and rivals those expensive coffee shops @crowdtap #FolgersFans #sponsored



Are you totally into your morning, afternoon and sometimes even late afternoon coffee fix? The problem is that that kind of thing can get kind of expensive. My hubby and I sat down and realized we were spending way too much money at those expensive little coffee shops. A coffee here and a coffee there just ended up somehow being like $50 a week or more between the two of us. The timing was perfect to make a few little changes that still keep us happy. I have something you are going to love from a brand that we all trust. Folgers just launched a delicious new coffee with a rich flavor that makes it easy to drive right by that fancy coffee house and enjoy a home brewed cup in your thermos on the go or at home. Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend coffee delivers smooth, distinct taste – whether you prepare it in a drip coffee maker, Keurig®, French press, or cold brew.


Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend coffee has an amazing flavor that both my husband and I enjoy. We have a cup in the morning to get our day started at home. It is nice to sit together and catch up on our day before we both head to work. We each fill up a thermos with hot or cold Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend coffee and head on our way. We both find it is easy to pass right by those expensive coffee houses now that we have our delicious coffee right by our side. Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend coffee is available in all your local stores right now so pick some up and let me know what you think. Save some money and see how quick it adds up. My hubby and I are planning a little weekend at the beach at the end of August. We are saving so much and enjoying every minute of our Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend coffee!

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.

Silk® Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative is yummy in smoothies and in all kinds of recipes! @crowdtap



We eat a lot of yogurt in our house so I was super curious to try this new option from a brand I know and trust. Silk has a delicious dairy-free yogurt that is crafted from plant based ingredients. This is a perfect option for anyone, especially if you are trying to avoid dairy.  We eat dairy, but we also eat a lot of plant-based foods like beverages and even snack bars.  So you don't need to be vegetarian or vegan to enjoy Silk’s® seven smooth and creamy, plant-based yogurt alternatives. But if you are, this is a yummy new option ideal for you too! 



Silk® created this delicious and creamy Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative in a variety of scrumptious flavors too. It comes in a single serve and multi-serve containers. Silk comes in seven yummy flavors...I found four varieties at my local Shop-Rite this week. It is right by the yogurt in the refrigerated dairy section so it is easy to find too. There was one challenge though...it was a good kind of challenge to have though. It was hard to decide on which flavors to buy since they all looked super delicious. I like all kinds of fruit and they had a bunch of different varieties. They even had a large plain variety. Those are great for smoothies and mixing so you can create any kind of flavor you like. Silk is easy to use in recipes too. Summer is a great time to make smoothies and frozen treats and Silk® Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative is a great base for all kinds of recipes. 



I liked both the plain and the flavored Silk® Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative. The yogurt was creamy and tasted fresh. It had a light taste that was perfect in its own or blended in my secret power smoothie recipe. I also used the Silk® Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative plain variety in my famous Banana Breakfast Protein Muffins. I substitute yogurt for the oil in my recipe and it saves calories and adds protein and calcium. Give Silk® Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative a try and let me know what you think. 
  
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.

Patch-Up Kit is exactly what you need for medical emergencies on-the-go #patchupkit



You never know when there might be an emergency so I find it is always best to be prepared. My mom always used to say emergencies don't come with engraved invitations sent weeks or months in advance like weddings. Lord knows that is the truth.  That is why I was happy to have the opportunity to evaluate a fairly comprehensive emergency kit from Patch-Up First Aid Kit recently. 


My husband coaches Ultimate Frisbee kids and adult leagues so this is the perfect first aid kit to keep in his bag. My tween plays on his kids team so I was even happier to see such a comprehensive kit. We looked through it and were amazed at the variety of emergency first aid items that were included in this handy on the go kit. 

The Patch Up Kit has easy to tote handles that are constructed of heavy duty webbing. That are securely stitched to the fully zippered bag. The bag opens up to multiple zipped compartments just filled with 270 pieces with 39 unique items for all kinds of emergencies.  The way everything is organized is just fantastic too. The compartments are zippered shut but are clear for easy viewing. The reality is that, in an emergency you want to find what you need in a jiffy. This kit makes it easy. If I had to spend the time to go out and buy all the items and put this kit together, it would truly cost a lot more too. This is a time and money saver.



There are all kinds of bandages and antibiotic ointments. They even include sting relief single dose packets. These are great for the kids to get them calmed down quickly. Of course, hand sanitizer packets and alcohol wipes are in there too. Cold packs, disposable gloves tape and bandages are included. There's even eye patches and finder splints. There are even items for bigger emergencies and large wounds to help stabilize the situation until medical personnel arrive. They pretty much included almost everything you need for minor and major medical emergencies that can pop up. This is all organized neatly in a bag perfectly sized to stash in a sports bag, travel bag or to leave in your car. You can find this handy first aid Patch Up Kit right on Amazon for easy shopping anytime. 


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.