Friday, November 29, 2013

iCaughtSanta.com Review




iCaughtSanta.com is a site that allows you to add a Santa or Rudolph into your personal photos. I think it is a really cool idea, but I am not a creative person at all so I feel the site is not for someone like me.

I am not good with graphic design, or anything creative for that matter. The site is very easy to use, though I wish they had more santas to choose from (they only have twenty at the moment).

Also, I do not have a tree up in my house just yet nor do I have any good photos with a tree. I feel to get the best use out of the site you need to either have a Christmas tree in the photo or to actually take a photo specifically to insert a Santa with an idea already in mind. 

You can make your own photo (that I am sure will be much better than mine, since mine does not look realistic at all) on www.iCaughtSanta.com until December 10th, 2013. The Code to get your free photo download is #SantaShare (it does not cost to actually make the photo so you can play with it as much as you want.)

Please leave your photos below. I have seen others on the web that came out really good!



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Book Review: Behind the Albergue Door: Inspiration Agony Adventure on the Camino de Santiago



Before reading this E-Book I was skeptical if I would like it or not. The story is based on hiking on the Camino de Santiago. As a person who does not hike I did not know how I would relate to the story. However you guys, this is why you do not judge a book based on its cover.

This book is absolutely hilarious. It kept me intrigued from beginning to end! I was actually pretty upset when the story ended and I could no longer hear the fascinating stories of the hikers.

My favorite parts were the emails (which were like diary entries for the "characters" in the story). It made the book much easier to read (and not drag on) and I found that these stories added a lot more humor to the book (not that it needed more since the narrators experience is just as funny, but a book can never be TOO funny).

If you are interested in reading the story yourself enter below to win an E-Copy of the Book! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Purex Fels-Naptha Laundry Bar Review & Giveaway






I do not know about you guys but I hate doing Laundry! I especially hate when I spend all day doing laundry and there is still a stain on my favorite shirt! I have tried many different spot cleaners and they all work all right but leave a residue that also takes me forever to get out!

The other day I used the Purex Fels-Naptha Laundry Bar & Stain Remover as a pretreat on one of my shirts and not only did it get rid of the stain, but it did not leave a residue and did not fade the color!

The benefits of this laundry bar are:
+ Pretreats dozens of stains and safe on colors
+ Great for dirt, grease, and ring-around-the-collar
+ Easy to use and more effective than spray!

I must say that the third point is what makes this much better for me. It is much more easier to target only the stain when you are using  a bar vs a spray!

Now for the exciting part. THREE of you will each win a coupon for a FREE Bar! Entries are very easy so enter below. You can gain extra entries every day just for tweeting (as a sweeper myself, doing this will get you far more entries than others who enter--just a tip!)





a Rafflecopter giveaway

GRATiAE Replenishing Eye Cream Review



I have been using the GRATiAE Replenishing Eye Cream for about a month now. The cream not only looks luxurious but also feels luxurious. While I have not seen any difference in the dark spots under my eyes I have seen a difference in how my skin looks when I wake up in the morning. The skin around my eyes looks much more awake then it used it and much less puffy.

GRATiAE is a Premium Organic Beauty Line and only uses the best ingredients in their products. Though their products are much more pricier than what you may find at Beauty Stores, the products also last a lot longer. 


You can purchase the GRATiAE Replenishing Eye Cream on their website for $349.99. Though you may find their products cheaper elsewhere, GRATiAE encourages that you do not buy from unauthorized sellers since those products may be expired (or worse they made not be made by GRATiAE and therefore not made with their high quality ingredients that make their products work).

If you are not in the price range to buy their eye cream but want to try out their products they have many affordable items on their site. You can also create and account on their site and subscribe to their newsletter to get special offers!

Also, be sure to check out GRATiAE on their social media sites for special promotions and the latest updates: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and Youtube





I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Stitch Fix Review & Unboxing!



 I received my Stitch Fix yesterday and I really did love the service. You pay $20 for a stylist to pick and ship some clothes out to you. If you like and want to purchase any of the clothes that $20 will be applied to the order. If you like all 5 items that they send to you and purchase all five you will also get an additional 25% off. Whatever you do not want just send back in their pre-paid package.

Watch my unboxing video below to see everything I got. I decided to keep the Blazer and the Jeans! I will be happy until the credit card bill comes since it was a total of $146.00! I have not bought any clothes lately though so it was worth it in my opinion.




Sign up to get a Fix! https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3255644

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Bulu Box Unboxing & Review


Please watch my unboxing video and then come back and read this post :)






Bulu Box is a $10 a month subscription box that provides you with 4-5 samples per month ranging from vitamins and supplements to weight loss and health. They have two types of boxes a regular Bulu Box and a weight loss Bulu Box





This box is great because it provides you with single serve samples that you can take on the go to the gym or on a run. I thought the mix of samples in the box were great. There was one weight loss item, and the rest were items to replenish you before, during, and after your work outs.

I though the Power Ice was great! It was just like eating a Popsicle! It was huge so I was not able to finish the entire thing but it made me feel so much more hydrated after my workout! Another one of my favorite items was the Natural Calm. I love that all you have to do is add it into water, and the Raspberry Lemon taste was great! 

Like other Subscription Boxes, the Bulu Box offers a way for you to get money off full size products on the site. All you have to do is review your samples! 

I know many people are fans of the Conscious Box but are not fans of the price (19.95 a month, ouch!) While the conscious box does include a lot more samples in it if you are looking for a health box at half the cost then this is the box for you! If you are interested in signing up and getting a subscription for yourself use the coupon codes below to get money off!

Get your 1st Bulu Box FREE!
Purchase a 3 month gift for you or a friend, and get the first month FREE with promo code: JUMPONIT3
Note: This deal gets 3 months of Bulu Box for just $15 (compared to regular price of $30)
 
Get your first 3 Bulu Boxes FREE!
Purchase a 6 month gift for you or a friend and get the first 3 months FREE with promo code: JUMPONIT6
Note: This deal gets 6 months of Bulu Box for just $30 (compared to regular price of $60) 

To sign up and take advantage of these offers visit http://www.bulubox.com/.




I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Monday, November 18, 2013

November 2013 Popsugar Must Have Box Unboxing & Review


Please watch my unboxing video and then come back and read this post :)








The Popsugar Must Have Box is a subscription box which costs $39.99 per month, BUT all the products you get are full size and the boxes are always worth more than $100! If you love getting surprises than this box is for you!.









The items in the box:

1.) Michael Stars Wrap: I will personally wear this as a scarf but you can also wear it as a shawl. This is really cute and I will definitely be wearing it soon since it is starting to get cold! I am really excited for this since I would not have bought this for myself based on the price but love it! Value: $42

2.) Illume Candle: I have been hoping for a candle from one of these boxes for a while now! I am so glad they finally included one again (they have included them in the past but not since I have been subscribed)! I have not tried it out yet but it smells SO good! I just hope it makes the whole room smell good since it is only one wick. Value: $15.75

3.) Land's End Single Canvas Tote Bag: Really disappointed for this item. I do not drink wine so the only thing I can do with this tote is to wrap a gift up for someone in it. I just think that this was not a very good item to include in a box since a lot of people do not drink wine and even the people that do most will not have a need for it. $14.50

4.) Maison de Monaco Strawberry & Blackcurrant Cream Preserves: Not too excited for this but I will try it out anyway.  $6

5.) The Soap & Paper Factory Roland Pine Shea Butter Soap: I always love getting beauty products so I am happy they included this. I usually use Body Wash but it is nice to switch it up. $8

6.) Absolute! Nail Polish Remover Pads: These will always come in handy. Super excited for these! $1.99

7.) Barefruit Crunchy Sea Salt Caramel Apple Chips:I was excited for these but I have since tried them and am not a huge fan. I will try and finish them off since I do not like wasting food. They are not disgusting, but they are not tasty either. $1

8.) Cavaspop Gift Card: Ah, the infamous Pop Sugar "Gift Card" is just as bad as the Birchbox "Perfume Sample". I have no need nor want for a Canvasprint so I will throw this one out. I have been subscribed for 10 months now and have only used 1 out of 10 Gift Cards that have come in the boxes. 



Not the worst box that I have received but not the best either. I am slightly disappointed in the Wine Tote, Canvaspop Print "Gift Card", and the food items included this month. BUT I am happy for the scarf, candle, soap, and nail polish remover pads so I will be happy until next month! They did include one less item than last month, and the value of the box is much lower than previous months!

 Total value of the box: $119.24 ($89.24 if not including the special extra "Gift Card").  This box is on the lower side price wise compared to an average Popsugar Box. Since they raised their prices I thought they would include maybe one more small item a month. I mean two of the items were under $2 so that is why this box is not as high in value as others. I really hope the service does not start to go down hill after the price hike though (luckily I locked my price in until next October). 

To sign up go here: http://popsu.gr/THB

Friday, November 15, 2013

Review: Organic Matcha- Green Tea Powder By KissMe Organics







I recently tried out the Organic Matcha by KissMe Organics. I am trying to eat healthier but do not like the taste of a lot of healthier snacks out there. This product excited me because you can mix it in with other ingredients. I tried out a few recipes that KissMe Organics recommend and though some were better than others I did like these more healthier alternatives better than ones I have tried in the past.


Organic Green Tea Matcha provides you with more energy throughout the day and provides you with 137x more antioxidants than you get from drinking green tea. It is also said to improve you skin (but I can not tell if my skin has changed from the few times I have used this product but I assume over time you will be able to tell!)

The first thing I made was the Matcha Oreo Cheesecake. I felt this was a safe choice taste wise. Well, I was right. These tasted delicious. My friends were also fans, this may be a dessert that I will repeat for Thanksgiving!

The second thing I made was Matcha Butter Cookies. These were also delicious but I did feel they did not taste as good as say the dough you buy from Pillsbury but they are A LOT healthier so I can not complain too much.

For those of you who are health conscious you should check this item out, and even for those of you who want to incorporate healthier items into your diet then this is a good starting point.

I want to know what you have made using Matcha. I need some ideas so leave them below!

You can order this product on Amazon for $25 (on sale, usually $39.99). The product came quickly with the standard shipping and was packaged in a padded envelope and there were no packaging issues. 






I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Book Review: Sweepstakes Millionaire by Johnathan Wyka-Warzecha



As you all know I am a sweepstakes fanatic. I enter sweepstakes as a part time job (usually around 10-15 hours a week) and I win between 12-25 sweepstakes each month. If I had more time I am sure I would win much more, however I am happy that I win so much as it is! 


Just like any job you have to keep up with your research and there are always things that you can learn from others in your profession. Hence why I was super excited to read Sweepstakes Millionaire by Johnathan Wyka-Warzecha. Not only did the book have some great tips on how to win sweepstakes and contests (such as when to enter, how often to enter, and what types of sweepstakes will give you the best odds) but the book also showcased stories from those who have won much more than I have. There was this one sweeper featured in the book who has won more than 200 vacations in his lifetime. He does not enter many sweepstakes for smaller items (like books and dvds) since his main focus is to win vacations. I, however, need to get small wins also in order to stay motivated!

If you are just beginning entering sweepstakes or have been entering for the past 15 years like I have (I won my first sweepstakes when I was 10- a Kathy Ireland DVD from a drawing in my local Walmart Store-mom was happy) I recommend reading this book if you are interested in learning more about Sweepstakes. I mean who knew that there were so many sweepstakes conventions!? This book kept my attention the whole time and taught me much more than I thought it would!

My main goal with sweepstakes though is (as the cover of the book says) To Win A Life of Luxury through Sweepstakes. I believe it will happen, so it will happen. I am still waiting for my first trip win though. 

Right now you can purchase the book on Amazon for $17.96 (and free shipping with prime or for qualified orders of $35 or more)! Also, check out the Sweepstakes Ninja website for more info on Sweepstakes and for Sweepstakes listings!

If you have any questions about sweepstakes or want to share with me what you have won recently please leave comments below. Also, at the beginning of every month I post a list of what I won in the previous month.

Monday, November 11, 2013

November 2013 Birchbox Unboxing and Review

View my Unboxing Video and then come back and read my post :)










Overall thoughts: This is one of my favorite boxes in a while. I am going to have to give it a 5/5. There was six products total, can't get better than that! The only thing I would have changed about the box is that my "extra" was one chocolate covered pretzel stick while some others had a full size chocolate bar. I personally would have loved the chocolate bar! But just to make things fair they should have included the full size pretzel pack (which is a pack of 5, not a pack of 1).




Inside the box is:

1.) AYRES Midnight Tango Body Butter | This is what I call a deluxe size sample! I cannot wait to try the product, it smells pretty good! Including a Body Butter in the winter time is perfect.  Full size, $28

2.)  Eyeko Black Magic Mascara | Another Deluxe size sample (or some may consider it full size for a Birchbox anyway)! It comes with a nice curved wand! Full size, $24

3.) Joie Folle de Joie eau de Parfum | You know that I am never excited for perfume samples, however I am not too upset to receive it in the box since I got so many good products! Full Size, $98

4.) WEI Golden Root Purifying Mud Mask | I used this mask last night and loved it! It made my skin feel very soft after using it. I just hope it does not dry out since the top is just a foil.  Full Size, $42

5.) Wei Pomegranate Buffing Beads | These are just two foil packets but I loved the product. I used one today (you mix it in with your own cleanser) and I feel it helped declog my skin pretty well.  Full Size, $20

5.) Fatty Sundays Chocolate Covered Pretzels | Like I said previously I think the Lifestyle extra was not done fairly this time around. Some people only received 1 chocolate covered pretzel or 1 chocolate covered chip while others received a FULL Size Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar or 3 Tea Bags. In terms of the taste of the chocolate covered pretzel it was good but I would not purchase it.   Full Size, $6.95 for a pack of 5.




Is this box worth $10: Not only were there some really good sized samples but the box included 6 items where normally the box only includes 5 or sometimes even 4 so yes it is worth at least $10.
Is this box worth my $10: I will use every item in the box, which is sometimes not the case, and I like most of the products sizes so yes I am happy with what I got for my $10. Just hoping next month I get the chocolate bar :)

Disclaimer: These opinions are my own and I was not asked, nor do I get compensation, to review the box or these items.

If you would like to sign up for the Beauty Box yourself, here is the link: https://www.birchbox.com?raf=l4w14

Friday, November 8, 2013

Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation Review




I received a complimentary tube of the NEW Rimmel London Stay Matte Foundation from Influenster. This foundation is not even in stores yet (it comes out in January 2014) however it already has a future buyer, ME!

I received shade 103 True Ivory. I am not sure if Influenster "randomly" sends out the shades based on your Beauty profile or if they match them as closely as possible with the picture on your profile. Either way this was the perfect shade for me. I love its creamy texture (it is a mousse) and how smoothly it goes on. It does not feel greasy or look shiny on my skin. It covered up all my blemishes and did not fade for over 8 hours!

I am so excited to have tried this product. I have been using the Bobby Brown BB Cream and it has been my favorite. Sadly though, my wallet does not love the Bobby Brown BB Cream as much as my face does (it costs around $40 a tube!). Once the Rimmel London Stay Matte comes out it will be my go to foundation since I am sure it will be less than half the price of the Bobby Brown version.

Watch my Instavideo below to see the application: 


And here is my finished look:





If you have any questions please feel free to leave them below and I will do my best to answer them!


Thursday, November 7, 2013

Book Review | Job Interview by Naija Job Hunt


In August I had the opportunity to review an E-book on How to Keep a Job. Recently, I was sent another E-book from the same company, Naija Job Hunt. This time around the E-book was focused on Job Interviews.

I must say that this E-book was much more interesting and helpful to read. Not only was there more information in the book (about 9 more pages) but it also gave some really helpful information. 

Most of the information in the E-book were tips that I have already been using for a while (I have been job hunting for the past 4 years) but I loved the interviews that they had with those who knew a lot about hiring. 

If you are going on interviews regularly or plan to do so in the near future, I recommend taking a look at this E-book. With it only being 13 pages long it will not take up too much of your time.

To read this E-book along with How to Keep a Job visit Naija Job Hunt and click on the Career Tips tab. 

What are you best tips for job interviews? Any success of failure stories? Leave them below! 




I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Friday, November 1, 2013

Wantable October Beauty Box



Wantable offers a monthly box (you can choose between a beauty box, an intimates box, or an accessories box) with three to five full sized items in each box. They also offer special holiday boxes. You can buy a one time box for $40 or subscribe to a monthly subscription for $36 per month.  You are able to skip a month or cancel anytime! 

I had the opportunity to choose a box to review. I decided to chose the makeup box since I am a makeup girl more than anything. My box came with 4 full sized beauty items and one sample item.




The items in my box (shown above) included:

-  Darla Makeup Peepers Eyeshadow in Tiny Tooter | $18
- JAPONESQUE Angled Foundation Brush | $24.50
-  Girlactik Beauty Chic Shine Star Silver | $18
-  Beauty For Real True Color Lip Cream Barely There | $22
- Sample of Lise Watier Ombre Souffle Supreme Eyeshadows | $0

Total Value: $82.50

As you can tell the items more than compensate for the price you pay for the box. If you find yourself buying Boutique Brand Makeup Products often than this is the box for you! If not, than you can treat yourself to boxes a few times a year to try out new high end products. 

My favorite thing about this box is that you can tell them the products you want to receive and the products you do not want to receive  For instance, I marked "Dislike" for Brows, Nail Polish, and Lash Product so I will never receive those products in any of my boxes unless I update them to my "Love" or "Like" list!

So far my favorite products have been the Beauty For Real Lip Cream, the Foundation Angle Brush, and the sample of the Lise Watier Eyeshadows. I have found that the foundation brush allows me to reach harder to reach places that my regular foundation brush can not reach!

Visit the Wantable website if you are interested in signing up or learning more. 

Check out my unboxing video below to see what the products look like and if you have received one of these boxes make sure you leave a video or picture in the comments so I can check it out!







I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

My October 2013 Wins!

October 2013

1.) $25 Cheesecake Factory Gift Card (ARV-$25)
2.) $5 Subway Gift Card (ARV-$5) 
3.) Bates Motel Season 1 Blu Ray (ARV-$29.79) 
4.) Book- Chasing Hope (ARV-$11.63)  
5.) Book- On a Farther Shore (ARV-$11.59) 
6.) Mary Kay True Dimensions Lipstick (ARV-$18) 
7.) Book- Divine Temptation (ARV-$13.30) 
8.) Room on the Broom Prize Pack (ARV-$65) 
9.) Thomas & Friends Animals Abroad DVD (ARV-$27.05)
10.) Book- How to be a Good Wife (ARV-$14.99)
11.) $25 VISA Gift Card (ARV-$25)
12.) 2 Movie Tickets (ARV-$20)
13.) Books- The Best Non-Required Reading & The Best American Comics (ARV-$39.95)
14.) 18 Pack Bag of Purex Ultrapacks plus Oxi (ARV-$6)
15.) Pacific Rim Blu Ray (ARV-$24.96)
16.) Pacific Rim Blu Ray (ARV-$24.96) 2nd copy!
17.) Book- The Poodle Tales (ARV-$9.69)
18.) Pacific Rim Blu Ray (ARV-$24.96) 3rd copy!
19.) Book- Duke (ARV-$12.98)
20.) P&G Prize Pack (ARV-$30)
21.) WB Halloween Family Movie (Randomly Selected by Sponsor) (ARV-$10)


Total Value: $449.85



2013 Total So far: $3,082.49