April BirchBox

I must admit I am loving my BirchBox's and I think I am going to keep getting them. I get to indulge myself in things I normally would not get and it's only $10 a month !!

This month BirchBox teamed up with Women's Health, with that being said this is what I received for my April shipment;

Oribe Shampoo and Conditiner for beautiful color.
 Full size retails for $37-$39
I have already used my samples and really like this shampoo and conditioner. I feel like my hair has gotten softer and less knotty. It protects your color treated hair with it's honey infused formula.

Skin & Co Roma Cleansing body gel with Olive and Sicilian Orange extracts.
Full size retails for $17.50
I have also started using this body gel. I wasn't so sure about the scent but it grew on me. It is quite moisturizing and pleasant. It is packed with antioxidants and made in Rome.

StriVectin SD eye concentrate cream for Wrinkles
Full size retails for $65
I have not used this just yet so I cannot give you my thoughts on it. It is a beauty editor favorite and is a patented molecule peptide to diminish fine lines and reverse the look of puffy eyes...we shall see !!

Supergoop Daily Correct SPF 35 CC Cream
Retails for $32
I have started using this and love it. I will be purchasing the full size product, I like it that much. I had been using a BB cream but since using this I will be sticking with the CC cream. I love the SPF in it so I will not have to worry about it on a day to day basis. It provides corrective coverage and triple protects against UVA, UVB and infrared A rays.

Hail Merry Chocolate Macaroons
Retails for $5
These treat are raw, vegan, gluten free and made with all natural non GMO ingredients.

As an added bonus I got a year of Women's Health magazine. Woot Woot. That retails for $10 so this box was well worth the money.

Check back at this time next month for the May BirchBox.

Battle of the diaper rash

Thankfully my baby has not had man bad diaper rashes, but ( no pun intended ) when she does get red I have discovered The Honest Company's Healing Balm.

I had signed up for a free trial of their family essentials bundle, all I paid was $5.95 which covered shipping which is not bad if you ask me. Included in my bundle was the healing balm which in all honestly is the only item I have tried with the exception to the hand and body lotion.

 I was skeptical at first after all it's plant based and here I was thinking there was no way this stuff was going to work, I was VERY wrong. The next morning my little monkey was not bright red and I know it did not burn when putting it on. In the past we had used Balmex, but when applying it she would cry especially if she had a full blown rash. When I applied the healing balm there was not a peep coming out of my cutie's little mouth.

Here are some other good points of The Honest Company Healing Balm- I took this info directly from their website;

• Filled with USDA certified organic essential oils: Sunflower Oil, Tamanu Oil, Chickweed Oil, and Olive Oil
• Soothes and helps delicate skin, while helping to prevent future diaper rash
• Added castor oil to battle existing rash and as an excellent urine barrier
• Promotes healthy & balanced skin – no preservatives or synthetic fragrances
• Versatile and safe to use on minor cuts & scrapes, Mom's dry skin, and Dad's razor burns
• Hypoallergenic / Clinically tested / Pediatrician Recommended / Vegetarian / Sensitive for Everyday Use
• NO Harsh Chemicals (ever!)

Personally I think it's a little pricey, it goes for $12.95 plus shipping. It's one those things that I am going to suck it up and buy it since it works so well and I feel good using it on my baby's skin.

I would like to mention that this is my personal opinion, I was not paid or given any free items to write this. I just wanted to share the love of a product. If you are interested in trying this or any of their other fabulous products or to even get their free trial, please use my referral link :-)

http://honest.com/accept_invitation/221333

 

BirchBox goodies

I am excited to report that my BirchBox came in last week ! And I am mighty happy with it. I had read mixed reviews so I was a little apprehensive about buying it, I am glad I did. They sent some things I normally wouldn't have splurged on. Let's take a peek at what I received;

1. Macadamia Natural Oil
Pretty good size, it's got several treatments in the bottle. It's a healing oil for your hair, it has macadamia nut oil in it as well as argan oils. There is a note on the card letting us know it cuts drying time down. I have yet to try this because I recently was sent a hair dye to use at home for a survey company I work with, and I am not supposed to use any masques or oil treatments for 3 weeks. I cannot wait till the 3 weeks it up. A full size bottle will run you $39.95

2. MAKE Dual phase eye makeup remover
As with the Macadamia oil treatment this sample is large enough for several makeup removals. The remover worked extremely well. I thought it was cool because the oil, chamomile and cucumber infused water were naturally separated  you have to shake it up before using it. A full size bottle will run you $18.00

3. MAKE lipstick
When I first saw the size of it, I was a little hmmm let's say sarcastic I actually said to myself " Are you kidding me " but in all honestly it is after all a sample and it's good for a least 4 applications or more, depends on how much you use. It's a really pretty color and I am looking forward to wearing it. I have yet to try it only because I normally wear gloss during the day and lipstick when going out or holidays. I will wear some this Sunday on Easter. A full size will run you $18.00, one third of all sales are donated to charity.

4. Sage + Fasten Common Sense Eau de Parfum
This scent features layers of lotus flower, peach and lychee. It is free of parabens, sulfates and synthetics. The sample was a really good size to keep in our purse and it has a roller ball for application. I adore the scent and nice and light, perfect for the upcoming weather. Full size will run you $29.50

5. Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque
As I said earlier I am not able to try something like this quite yet but my hair will need it after the coloring. According to the card that came in my box it strengthens strands from the inside while adding major gloss. Sounds good to me ! Full size will run you $36.00

6. Madwell for BirchBox Emery Board
No explanation needed. It's full size and pretty :-) This will cost you $5.00

And that is everything I received, well worth the $10 I spent to get the box. I think I will try it again for another month and see if I am just as happy. And all of this awesomeness came wrapped up all pretty in pink which happens to be my favorite color ! 

Stay tuned for April's box. If you are interested in joining BirchBox please use my referral link https://www.birchbox.com?raf=c5k19 

Patiently waiting for my first ever BirchBox !

I have been seeing blog posts about Birchboxes here and there and have looked into ordering one but was hesitant only because there is no guarantee as to what is in the box or what size the products are and I am frivolous with my money.

I recently cashed out on one of the companies I do surveys for and got a Visa gift card so I took the plunge and signed up for a box. Had it not been for the survey company I would not have spent the money. When I get gift cards like this I like to treat myself to something I would normally not purchase for myself.

I cannot wait to see what treasures are inside. I researched past boxes and have seen some full size products and awesome cosmetics. It's like Christmas for me. I will certainly post my thoughts and pictures when my treasure arrives !!

Till nest time my friends :-)

Finally see the light

After watching The Biggest Loser last night I realized I needed to change, I need to lose weight and I need to be healthy.

Truth be told, I weigh as much as one of the  contestants starting weight..I would rather not say which one for now. Alright fine, you convinced me, it's Danni. This threw me for a loop, I mean I know I had gained a few pounds but didn't realize how out of control it had become.

I want to lose weight to be healthy and not just for looks although that is part of it. I want more energy, I want to live a longer life for my kids and most importantly I want to stop feeling ashamed of myself.

Please take this journey with me and let's support one another. It's going to be a long and hard road but I am finally ready.

Do you hear that ?....Nope it's silence !

I am child free for the evening ! And what am I doing, blogging and going to dinner then I will be watching Breaking Dawn part 2. Nothing special but I am super excited but I also miss my baby. 

It has been 9 months since I had my baby, it feels strange not changing a  diaper or feeding her. And it is quiet, not a peep from anywhere which I am loving ! I am staying at my parent's house till my apartment is available so I do not take quiet for granted anymore.

Alright to be honest, I took bath thinking it was going to be the best thing in the world and I was in there literally five minutes till I got bored...crazy because I have been wishing for a nice long, bubbly hot bath; I finally get it and I am bored. Then I told myself I would take a nap, did I ??? Nope I came online and play Bejeweled. I just noticed what the problem is, I took my laptop with me. I should have left it at home then I could nap, and read. How much do you want to bet that I will not sleep in tomorrow either.

Enough blogging time for my movie........

Campbell's Slow Kettle Style Soups

I am part of smiley360, which I have shared with you in the past. Well today I tried the Campbell's slow kettle style soup which I received in the mail from mysmiley360 today. 

It was snowing, and cold here so it was the perfect thing for lunch. I had chosen the kickin crab and corn chowder; the portion is large and filling, there were beautiful chunks of veggies and crab in it and it was nicely flavored. I was very happy and warm after eating it. In addition to the free soup they had thrown in some funky long socks so I was snug and warm today for sure.

I personally recommend the soups, they are reasonably priced and like I said I large portion. I must add again that I received the soup for free and this is my own personal opinion about the soup.

Do me a favor and click this link it's for my review on smiley360  ! Thanks all :-)
http://smiley360.com/1221034.cfm